|
Super Angels of Mathare North held their second meeting in April. This month Ann Chege was assisted by Jennifer from Ngong town. Their topic was Early Pregnancy. Twenty girls attended this month, aged from 10 to 24 years. Jennifer introduced the topic with a discussion of causes and effects. For example, peer pressure was identified by the girls as a cause, and dropping out of school as an effect. Other causes of early pregnancy the girls identified were drugs, media images, lack of awareness, and rape. Effects were prostitution, abortion, social rejection, low self-esteem and self-image, and HIV/AIDS. |
Mathare North girl group member |
The group also discussed possible solutions, and came up with a list of ideas:
1. Adequate information should be made available on sex and pregnancy, which should be given by people who are well-educated and well-equipped to give information. Also government and NGO’s should work together to ensure information is made available.
2. Media houses should be barred by law from showing provocative programmes which may influence youths into engaging in sexual practices.
3. Abstinence on sex.
4. Youths should keep away from peers who try to influence them into having sex.
5. Female youths should be sensitive on dress code.
The topics were discussed thoroughly, questions asked and answered. The girls were so happy that the questions they had been asking themselves for a long time were openly answered. They were also given advice on how to deal with the above vices.
We think that in the future we need to divide the group into two different age groups, as the current age range is too broad. This will be 10 to 18 years , and 18-plus.
