By Thereza Nalumansi | M&E officer
Young mothers have been ridiculed, taunted, abandoned, stigmatized, and have undergone all sorts of mistreatment by people in society resulting in loss of hope, anxiety, depression low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts. Act 4 Africa through the adolescent mothers’ health and wellbeing project has given these young mothers a second chance to revive their dreams, taught them to believe in themselves, showed them the possibility of a better life, inspired them to take better care of themselves, freed them from pain from past experiences and given them hope for a better tomorrow. The project has also taught them different mechanisms of handling stress and helped them become strong, responsible, and resilient mothers.
We have AMs in our second cohort feeling more hopeful and resilient, with a different yet positive attitude towards life as opposed to before. In changing their mindset, we have seen 17 AMs start up small ventures to support their babies and families as opposed to the earlier mentality of “my husband will provide/ I can’t do anything since I didn’t go to school.” The testimonies from adolescent mothers written below clearly indicate how psychosocial support is instrumental in addressing the mental health needs of these young mothers.
Adolescent mothers released from trauma.
Barbara: “Being an eyewitness to the murder of my grandmother never left me the same. I had been traumatized not only by that but also from giving birth when I was not ready. This was tearing my marriage apart and affecting my relationship with my child. Through topics like acknowledging emotions and active listening and stress management at Act 4 Africa, I recognized my challenge and the need to heal from my pain. I purposed to heal, and I now feel better, thanks to sessions Act 4 Africa.”
Suicidal thoughts no more
Florence: “Life was so difficult for me before joining Act 4 Africa. I was at crossroads with my dad and the stigma from the rest of the family made me want to end my life several times. In Act 4 Africa, I have learnt to love myself and value my life because I now know there is so much potential in me, and I have a chance to change my future.”
Next steps.
We are embarking on the vocational skilling program this October to complement the health and well-being project. Young mothers are to be trained in tailoring, hairdressing, basic catering, and crocheting. This boosts their well-being as it increases their chances of getting employment or setting up businesses that can sustain them and their families.
We attribute our achievements to you. Thank you so much for supporting Act 4 Africa
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