By Bushroh Olatunji | Project Leader
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.
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