How SOS guards against pregnancies in their villages

• 15-year-old SOS village dweller defiled, police case opened

The National Director of SOS Children’s Village, Motshwari Kitso says there are measures and systems in place to protect young girls in villages in Francistown, Gaborone and Serowe from pregnancy.

The SOS Villages have social workers and youth development officers whose mandate is to address the physiological needs of the young mothers, as well as other needs in case of pregnancy.

“In 2018 we had the youngest pregnant girl aged 15 years, and a case of defilement was opened with the local police,” he said. From last year, the three villages recorded only three cases of pregnancy of girls aged 19 years, all of whom are at tertiary schools.

Kitso warned that perpetrators need to know that these unplanned pregnancies leave lifetime scars on the girls and distract them in many ways including in their education.

“Perpetrators themselves need to think about the future of these children and let them live and grow as children, without destroying their future,” Kitso said.

To address the unfortunate incidents of pregnancy, SOS offers counselling to the girls using Social Workers within the institution.

SOS also offers Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services and child safeguarding training in partnership with other stakeholders, such as District Health Management Team and other NGOs. These include lessons on sexual abuse and prevention and other forms of abuse.

Kitso said SOS also has a young mothers’ support service for ante-natal and post-natal care for their young mothers. They also empower SOS parents commonly known as Mothers and Aunties, SOS co-care workers and support staff with parenting skills in order to guide children within their SOS Villages against different social ills including prevention of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.