Mentorship Programme for 50 Girls in Abia State

The eleventh week of the Crochet and Knitting Vocational Skills Training was fully dedicated to individual project production. At this stage of the program, participants have acquired a wide range of crochet and knitting techniques, and the week was set aside for them to apply these skills independently.

Attendance for the week was as follows: 10 trainees were present on Wednesday, and 7 trainees attended on Thursday.

Participants spent the entire training period working diligently on their personal projects, created based on everything they have learned so far. These projects include:

• Cardigans (front, back, and neck rib sections)
• Mufflers
• Customized slippers
• Crochet scrunchies
• Bags made from plastic canvas
• Granny square patterns
• Colour-change knitting samples
• Other creative items inspired by what they have learned

• Skills_Empowerment.docx (DOCX)

Following a study of Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Teenage Pregnancy in Abia State, the Foundation identified that teenagers between ages 15-17 and 13-14 years became pregnant for a variety of reasons, which included economic vulnerability, particularly for teenagers living in non-nuclear family setting.  The risk continues into the 18-19 bracket. Most of the concerned persons  reside in under-resourced neighbourhoods and engage in some forms of economic labor, In this regard, the overarching influence of poverty on teenage pregnancy is well documented. The impact of teenage pregnancy extends beyond individual health, affecting educational attainment and future employment opportunities, perpetuating cycles of poverty and socio-economic vulnerability.

The findings from this study are crucial not only for the state's economic future but also for broader efforts to promote inclusive and equitable societies. It is for this reason, that the AAAF launched the mentorship programs targeting poverty reduction among at-risk households including establishing a revolving free loan scheme for female traders who are potential mentors grantsgirls, including scholarships, financial aid packages, and access to entrepreneurship training and job opportunities to reduce economic pressures that contribute to teenage pregnancy is encouraged. At the launch of the scheme, 16 traders / Mentors were presented NGN50,000 interest free loan and copies of the AAAF publication on Stakeholders Perspectives on Teenage Pregnancy in Abia State.. Additional beneficiaries / mentors will be recrutied into the scheme latest October, 2025