Jobs and Dignity for Adolescent Mothers in Lagos

Project Report: Strengthening Capacities for Resilience and Empowerment of Adolescent Mothers (S-CRAM)

Date: 30/04/2025

Location: ikorodu-Lagos, Nigeria

Facilitator: Bushroh Olatunji

Project: Scram

Executive Summary

Strengthening Capacities for Resilience and Empowerment of Adolescent Mothers (S-CRAM) helps 50 adolescent mothers in Ikorodu, Lagos, transition into safe, paid employment. The project co-designs job pathways with local businesses, provides childcare and transport, and verifies placements within 90 days.

Project Progress to Date

As of the last comprehensive field update in early 2026, the project has focused on community mapping, needs assessment, and immediate health interventions. The core progress includes:

• Community Engagement and Needs Assessment: The ATLAS team has ongoing implementation of the S-CRAM project in Lagos and Ogun States. They have conducted listening sessions with teenage mothers to map their specific needs. The stories collected reveal a spectrum of aspirations: some young women, like a 16-year-old named Abike., dream of returning to formal education, while others who have skills in tailoring or hairstyling lack the capital to start their businesses.
• Direct Health Outreach: A major initial achievement has been the delivery of health education and services to out-of-school teenage girls in vocational training centers:

o   Health Education: 98 girls received education on menstrual hygiene and mental well-being.

o   Dignity Kits: 86 reusable menstrual pants were distributed, providing a sustainable solution for managing periods.

o   HIV Testing: 60 free, non-judgmental HIV tests were conducted, helping to break down the fear and stigma surrounding reproductive health.

• Fundraising Status: The project’s financial progress is a critical area of focus. The public GlobalGiving page shows $361 raised from 7 donors, leaving $39,639 remaining to reach the total goal which is paramount for achieving success in this project.

Key Milestones

The following milestones have been met or are in progress:

Milestone

Status

Evidence / Impact

Project Launch & Community Entry

Completed

Project launched and ongoing implementation in Lagos & Ogun States; trust built with adolescent mothers through initial listening sessions.

Needs Mapping & Beneficiary Profiling

Completed

Individual aspirations identified (return to school, capital for trade, funding for training).

Initial Health & Dignity Outreach

Completed

98 girls educated; 86 menstrual kits and 60 HIV tests delivered, providing baseline data on beneficiary engagement.

MSME Partnership Formation

Not Started

Formal MoUs with local businesses to reserve apprenticeships and entry-level posts are yet to be signed.

Crèche & Transport Subsidy Setup

Not Started

On-site micro-crèche and transport stipends, critical for enabling participation, are not yet in place.

Critical Next Steps

To move from initial outreach to achieving the core goal of securing verified employment for 50 mothers within 90 days, the following feasible steps must be prioritized:

A. Immediate-Term Actions (Next 3 Months)

1. Launch a Targeted Fundraising Campaign: Develop a campaign featuring the stories of young women like A. who want to study and train. Use these testimonials to engage individual donors and approach corporate CSR arms of companies in Lagos to close the critical $39,639 funding gap.
2. Select and Secure Four Job Pathways: In close consultation with local MSMEs in Ikorodu, finalize the selection of four viable job pathways (e.g., tailoring, hairstyling, retail). Sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that formally reserve apprenticeship or entry-level positions for S-CRAM graduates cohort 2.
3. Begin ID and Bank Account Clinics: Initiate the process of helping beneficiaries obtain necessary identification and open bank accounts. This step is a prerequisite for formal employment and receiving wages, and can be done in parallel with other activities.

B. Medium-Term Actions (3-6 Months)

1. Set Up Support Infrastructure: Establish the on-site micro-crèche with appropriate child-safe standards. Simultaneously, finalize safe route mapping and begin distributing transport stipends to remove two of the biggest barriers to sustained participation—childcare and safe mobility.
2. Deploy the Blended Learning Model: Commence the training program that combines center-based practice with supervised workplace learning. Implement the mentor system using simple competency rubrics to score participants’ readiness for the job market.
3. Activate SRHR Referral Pathway: Formalize the system for confidential Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) referrals, ensuring young mothers have continuous access to non-judgmental health services throughout their training.

C. Long-Term Success & Sustainability (6-12 Months)

1. Verify 90-Day Placements: The ultimate project milestone is to verify that all 50 adolescent mothers have been placed in safe, paid employment and are still in those placements 90 days after starting.
2. Launch Alumni Savings Groups: To ensure lasting impact, facilitate the formation of alumni savings groups. This will help graduates build capital, continue to support each other, and resist slipping back into economic fragility.

Conclusion

The S-CRAM project is at a pivotal juncture. The initial groundwork has been laid with successful health outreach and deep community listening, providing a clear mandate from the young women it aims to serve. The path forward, however, requires urgent and focused action on fundraising, formalizing employer partnerships, and constructing the tangible support systems (crèche, transport, ID clinics) that turn a chance into a sustainable livelihood. The team remains committed to ensuring that these young mothers are not just trained, but truly empowered to rebuild their futures with dignity.

When a Teenager Becomes a Mother Before Finishing School

A. was sixteen and in her first year of secondary school when she discovered she was pregnant. By the time we met her in Ikorodu last month, she had given birth, dropped out of school, and was living with her mother-in-law in conditions she described as "not comfortable" for herself or her baby. Yet when we asked what she wanted most, her answer was immediate: "I want to go back to school."

A. is not alone. This quarter, ATLAS Initiative launched our Strengthening Capacities for Resilience and Empowerment for Adolescent Mothers (ScRAM) project in Lagos and Ogun States. We sat with teenage mothers, listened to their stories, and began mapping what they need to rebuild their futures. Some, like A., dream of returning to the classroom. Others have already acquired skills in tailoring, hairstyling, or retail trade, but lack the capital to put their training to use. One young woman completed her assistant training at age 17; she still cannot afford to stock a small shop. Another wants to learn the lucrative skill of making hair frontals but has no means to pay for training. These young women are not asking for charity. They are asking for a chance.

In Lagos State, we took health education directly to young people in vocational training centres. We reached 98 out-of-school teenage girls with menstrual hygiene and mental well-being education. We distributed 86 reusable menstrual pants, giving young women dignified, sustainable solutions for managing their periods. Our medical team provided 60 free HIV tests, breaking through the fear and stigma that often prevent young people from knowing their status. For many participants, it was their first time accessing non-judgmental reproductive health services.

What Your Support Makes Possible

A. has a plan: study during the day, learn tailoring in the evenings, and eventually support herself and her child. What she needs is someone who believes her future is still worth investing in. Your donations are making it possible for us to stand beside young women like A., to equip teenage mothers with vocational starter kits, to help those who want to return to school, and to ensure that young people across Lagos State have access to the health education and services that protect their futures. This is just the beginning of the ScRAM project, and with your continued support, we will reach many more adolescent mothers in the months ahead. Thank you for believing in them.

• SCRAM_Progress_Report_2025.pdf (PDF)