Anti- Teenage Pregnancy Campaign

We were so glad to be given this opportunity to be part of this campaign. It was located in Bhunya, a community found in the Manzini region of the Kingdom. The event started off with a march, where all stakeholders, parents, government officials, NGO’s and participants which included teenage boys and girls of local schools in Bhunya, police officers, parents, government officials and everyone affected by teenage pregnancy. Whilst all speakers revealed alarming statistics on the record number of rising cases of teenage pregnancy, one representative of the ministry of education raised a few eyebrows with his speech. He pointed out that though the escalation of children falling pregnant while in school has always been there it seemed to have escalated during and after the Covid 19 pandemic. It really made us all wonder what could have gone so wrong and how we can we address the issue.

As The Brave Girl Initiative we have always suspected the lack of information, lack of direction, motivation and good wholesome entertainment could be partly to blame for this rise, especially during covid 19 and in the rural areas. It was wonderful sight to see some of the teenagers speaking about their choices to stay away from teenage pregnancy during this campaign and why its so important to do so.  Our very own Brave Girl, Nkosingphile, got up on the stage and told her story of how teenage pregnancy affected her life. She told her story how she fell pregnant in Form 4 (Grade 11). For her, it began with shame of how her family was living, in poverty and extensive daily struggle to just make it to the next day.  She believed that when this much older gentlemen approached her that he would basically be saving her and her family.  And that is really what a lot of girls struggle with on the daily basis, causing them to make bad decisions and ultimately change the course of their future.

The campaign went on to be a very successful day and we saw the impact it had on the teenagers and how as each girl and young man that shared their experiences helped to change their thinking about teenage pregnancy.

Our Brave Girl’s incredible story gave the young people at the campaign the truth about teenage pregnancy and how it can drastically alter your life. We are proud that she is using her story to become a voice, a tool to help young people choose the right path and take their time to be young and free. We are trying by all means with our teenage pregnancy talks to make our young people aware that sometimes a moment of ignorance and weakness can cost you a lot. We encourage young teenagers to understand the implications of acting before reviewing the consequences. The Brave Girl Initiative will proceed in telling the real truth behind all things teenage related and encourage them to have self-identity, self-worth and to be patient to obtain a bright future.