Let’s give hope to pregnant teen girls

It has come to my attention that society has generally never been that supportive to teenage girls who fall pregnant, as they are perceived as outcasts who have brought their families into disrepute.

When a young girl falls pregnant, the most common question is: “Why didn’t you take a prevention injection or tablets?”

The popular slogan in our communities is that of rebuke, where these teens are chastised for having rushed to do “old people stuff”, which got them pregnant.

Yes, it is embarrassing and unfortunate to have a teenage girl falling pregnant when she is expected to focus on her studies.

However, instead of cursing the darkness, why don’t we light a candle of hope? I have seen many young girls being written off by society due to uncalculated decisions they made when they were very young, too excited and care-free.

As members of the community, we need to give hope to these young girls and assure them that they can still turn their lives around. This way, we would ensure an end to this vicious cycle of them falling pregnant time and again due to the neglect they endure at our hands as families.

If former prisoners can be reintegrated into society, can’t the same be done with girls who become young mothers?

Let us teach these teenagers to focus on their future by abstaining from sex rather than urging them to take contraceptives as that also exposes them to sexually transmitted infections.

The battle of tomorrow is won today.

Permly Machavi Welverdiend