Help Teen Mothers Return to School in Sierra Leone

An update on our project

From the marketplace, this town looks deceptively small. Clusters of houses spread back into the scrubland, but as we head past the school, more and more buildings come in to view between the trees. In total, around 8,000 people live in the community.

We are here to meet some teen mothers. They are pleased to see us, as most have been back in class for two semesters thanks to the new Street Child programme. “School is a good place to be, I like learning”, said Maria, a 15-year old we spoke to outside her house, her five brothers and sisters playing nearby. None of them are enrolled in school.

Maria was out of school for four years. Most of the girls we speak to have been out of school for over two years, and many did not start going to class until they were ten years old. It is harder for girls to stay in school; sexual activity and underage pregnancy are critical issues – particularly given the financial constraints on families after Ebola. Jessica left school aged 13 and then fell pregnant - “Girls do not get the support boys get for schooling – my parents could not afford to pay for mine, but they paid for my brother’s. After I left school, for a couple of years I got involved in with sexual activity and I fell pregnant.

“I had to leave school when I became pregnant, but so did a lot of girls”, said Aminata, whose daughter, Fatmata, is now a year old. “It is hard, you fall behind on your education, which is important. Thankfully I’m back in school now, which makes me happy.

Thanks to your support we have been able to help teenage mothers return to school. The business grants enable the girls to go back to school, as their own mothers or caregivers can now afford to look after the baby. They can start a small business or shop whilst caring for the children. Street Child also supports the family by providing school uniform and supplies for the girls - hidden costs that can be prohibitive.