Teen Girls Health & Empowerment in Uganda

During the last three months, we trained 84 girls in our Teen Health Education Workshops. We ask the girls questions before and after the training to gauge what they already know, and also in what areas they might have received misinformation. One of the things girls frequently brought up were fears about how their families would react to an unintended pregnancy while they were in school. A few of the things the girls shared at the start of our sessions were “I would run away from home.” and “My mother would never accept me back in her house.” Here in Uganda, 35% of girls drop out of school because of early marriage, and 23% do so because of early pregnancy. Young girls are particularly vulnerable to unintended pregnancy.

Our Teen Girls workshops are removing barriers to accessing reproductive health information and services for teens. Topics such as family planning, teenage pregnancy, and navigating healthy relationships equip teens with the knowledge and skills to positively face challenges. Creating a safe and comfortable environment to engage these topics is very important to our facilitators. The program also fosters confidence, body image, and teaches life skills, such as setting goals. Through this knowledge, teens are choosing to use contraceptives or abstain from sex which is contributing to a reduction in child marriage, teenage pregnancy, and unsafe abortions among trained teens. On average, after the workshop, 74.8% of the girls have a better understanding of their human rights, and their potential to have a better future. By the end of the program over 90% of the teens feel they can tell their parents or health workers about pregnancy and know how and where to access care rather than making unsafe decisions, including leaving home, dropping out of school, or seeking unsafe abortions. Girls are empowered to make informed decisions about their health and social wellbeing.

October 11th celebrated the International Day of the Girl. Studies show that for every $1 spent on a girl’s education, $10 is invested back into her community. When a girl is able to continue her education, maternal mortality drops, her chance of contracting HIV/AIDS reduces three times, her ability to make decisions for her own life increases, she has access to better jobs, and her income increases up to 25% for each additional year of schooling.  A girl’s education leads to healthier, better-educated children and families. We believe that our girls are our future, and unlocking their potential is the key to a better future for not just her, but the entire society. 

Your support helps us to empower girls in making positive steps in their own lives. Thank you for investing in our girls and believing in their potential!