Report
2023 TEENAGE MOTHERS’ LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Introduction
The Teenage Mothers’ Leadership Conference is an annual event initiated by Life Again to bring together pregnant girls and teenage mothers within the Upper West region where we are currently operational to expose them to a world of possibilities where they can be anything that they wish to be. The conference brings together influential and successful women within the region to share their stories with the girls to inspire them to be ambitious and work hard to achieve their dreams. It also introduces them to leadership skills such as public speaking, team work and critical thinking among others to help build their confidence. In addition, the conference provides a safe space for these group of girls to share their painful stories, to learn from others and most importantly to network freely without fear of being stigmatized or shamed. The maiden edition of the conference was organized last year in March to mark the International Women’s Day Celebrations and has since been scheduled to take place every year within International Women’s Day.
We (Life Again) organized the second edition of the Teenage Mothers’ Leadership Conference dubbed 2023 Teenage Mothers’ Leadership Conference with the theme Embrace Equity. The conference took place on Thursday, 9th March 2023 in Wa, the capital town of the Upper West Region and was attended by over 150 participants. The event brought together 100 teenage mothers and pregnant girls from five districts in the Upper West region namely Wa East, Wa West, Wa Municipal, Daffiama Bussie Issa, and Nadowli Kaleo districts and from over twenty communities including Charia, Sagu, Manwe, Goripie, Kperise, Bussie, Fian, Wogu, Issa and Dorimo just to mention a few. Life Again provided accommodation for about 50 girls who came from far communities on the 8th of March to enable them participant fully in the conference without missing out due to long hours of travels.
Teenage mothers on the streets creating awareness on teenage pregnancy and their struggles
Teenage mothers on the streets creating awareness on teenage pregnancy and their struggles
Some teenage mothers at the venue with placards
Life Again team at the venue with placards
Some teenage mothers at the venue with placards
Teenage mothers on the streets creating awareness on teenage pregnancy and their struggles
Conclusion
The 2023 Teenage Mothers’ Leadership Conference was a huge success. The girls got enlightened on the Ghana Education Service Re-entry policy which allows pregnant girls to stay in school and re-enter school after delivery. They also got credible information on where, how and who to report cases of abuse and violence from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit. With support from the Ghana Health Service, they got educated on Sexual Reproductive Health and accessed different types of contraceptives for free to enable them to prevent unwanted pregnancies. They also acquired immense knowledge on confidence building from experts who shared practical tips and guide lines on how to build their confidence. In addition, the girls were provided with the platform and safe space to share their stories, learn from the stories of their colleagues and influential women within the region as well as the opportunity to network and connect freely with others. From the feedback we took from the beneficiaries, the conference was impactful and they all left the venue, feeling EMPOWERED, looking forward to the next Leadership Conference.
A key lesson we learnt from this year’s conference is that, some of the girls have not healed from the pain they experienced from the rejection, stigma and all the challenges they faced during their pregnancies and as young mothers. Though our support has given them hope but their wounds are not healed and we noticed this during their story sharing session. Some of them got overwhelmed with emotions and could not complete their stories as they were in tears. Those who were also listening to the stories were also in tears because they share similar stories and listening to others tell them reminds them of their own experiences. In line of this, we are considering using the services of a professional Psychologist who will engage them in therapy to give them complete healing.
We want to say a big thank you to our donors (Cheryl Brodie, Nana Ama Buckman, Priscilla Akoto-Bamfo, Andrew Akoto and Antika Company Ltd) and our partners (Department of Gender, Action Aid, National Youth Authority and Complementary Education Agency for supporting us organize the 2023 Teenage Mothers’ Leadership Conference and we count on your continuous support in creating a world in which teenage pregnancy is no hindrance to girls’ empowerment.
YE BARIKA (THANK YOU)!!!