June 8, 2021
By Aruna Kamara in Bo
A trainer from the National Secretariat for the Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy, Marian Sam-Mboma has cautioned girls that have been exploited to learn from their mistakes and resist other advances from men.
She made this statement at the opening ceremony of a one day awareness raising training on Gender Based Violence and Teenage Pregnancy Prevention for Youth Groups, and District Youth Councils in Koinadugu District that took place at the Youth Center in Kabala.
Mrs. Sam-Mboma added that they should not allow boys to touch their private part as a way of joking with them which has the potential of transforming into something else that will lead to sex.
She maintained that involving into early sex has severe consequences including complications in delivery, stigma and discrimination and drop out from school but the intervention of UNFPA and the Ministry of Youth Affairs will go a long way to reduce teenage pregnancy in Koinadugu district.
Fatmata J. Jalloh, a Mid-wife at the Nasara Clinic in Kabala told her audience that she left a girl below 18 years in labor who is finding it difficult to deliver; she therefore cautioned those in attendance to abstain from unprotected sex and spread the message.
The mid-wife maintained that those who have unfortunately encountered teenage pregnancy and are finding it difficult to abstain from sex, should use contraceptives including pills or condom. She further advised them to be careful with men who may be carriers of dreadful diseases, and may refuse to use condom.
Madam Jalloh noted that it is better to abstain than allow men to infect them with disease, adding that “education should be your focus now and not sex because after achieving your education you have a long way ahead to enjoy sex with your husband.”
She cautioned them to adhere to COVID 19 enhance regulations in their school or community as no country has been declared COVID 19 Free.
The Youth Chairman in Koinadugu District, Alhaji Sheku Koroma said awareness raising on SGBV and Teenage Pregnancy is what they were yearning to see for the youths in district particularly for the girls who are vulnerable to it, and encouraged them to share the knowledge in their schools and communities for a multiplying effect.
The Director of Programs at the National Youth Service, Sylvester Bewie said that they received support from UNDFPA to intensify the awareness on SGBV and Teenage to ensure that Teenage Pregnancy is reduced.
He encouraged the beneficiaries of the training to serve as ambassadors in their schools and communities so that their colleagues will be knowledgeable on the prevention of Sexual and Gender Base Violence and Teenage pregnancy in Koinadugu district.
Hawa Barrie from Kabala Secondary School said the advice is welcoming and will be used in good fate. “The mistake some of us and colleagues made has been corrected and I am sure this message came at the right time as girls are going astray with no one to mentor or guidance, including our friends and colleague”, she added.
A short skit by the Koinadugu Student Union on the prevention of Teenage Pregnancy and SGBV climaxed the awareness rising in Kabala, which received a thunderous applause with a lot of praises from the participants that the play made them to understand the message of the prevention of abuse against the girls.