Catalogue of Practices

Improving the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Young Mothers Through Safe Motherhood and Child Survival Activities

Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana

Objectives
To provide maternal and child health/family planning services to teenage mothers and to equip them with employable skills.

Background
The family Life Education programme (FLE) of PPAG has been established since 1972. The aim was to provide information, education and counseling to young people (both in-and-out of school youth) on the issues of sexuality and risk behavior. However, the subject of teenage sex and pregnancy were out of the confines of FLE and for this reason PPAG in collaboration with the district hospital initiated a teenage mother only MCH/FLE project in Abiriw where reported teenage pregnancy were higher than other communities in the Akuapem North District of Ghana.

Scope
The MCH/FLE programme for teenagers operated by PPAG are located at Abiriw in the Eastern region (since 1992) and Abuesi in the western region (since 1996) These clinics exclusively for teenage mothers provides services separately from their adult counterparts and it has helped beneficiaries to regain their self esteem and sometimes return to formal schooling. In 1996, the teenage mothers' project was the winner of the Agatha Innovative Award Scheme.

The project provide teenage mothers and their children MCH services. Young mothers were recruited as peer motivator to encourage teenagers in the project to accept the services. Alongside with the service, MCH/FLE provides mothers with information in sexual reproductive health (SRH), effective parenting, nutrition education, contraceptive and income generation. Teenage mothers and their families are given counselling to help them through their difficulties. Skill training to equip them with employable skills is part of the programme activity. PPAG negotiate with relevant agencies for jobs for the graduates of the centers. Other activities include orientation seminars for the teachers and functional literacy programmes for young mothers left behind early because of pregnancy.

PPAG FLE clubs organised public lectures, forums, symposia etc for club members to create awareness on health reproductive health lifestyle.

 



Evaluation Findings
Statistics from the Ministry of Health in the district indicate a drop in teenage pregnancy rate from 30 percent in 1991 to 12 percent in 1995. About 90 percent of the project teenagers have been able to delay their next pregnancy over the last three years.
Management Features
 Strategy
The setting up of a teenage mothers only MCH programme has help young mothers who hitherto did not avail themselves of such services, to benefit from the services provided by PPAG.

Building Capacity
Peer motivators are recruited to provide information and education in SRH to teenage mothers and as motivators for acceptance and expansion of the project in the catchment area. PPAG organised orientation seminars for FLE teachers to learn and share experiences from each other. Some local PPAG volunteer group had volunteered to teach in the functional literacy class.

Funding
Financial support comes from the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the Ministry of Health, the Presbyterian church of Ghana, UNICEF an UNAIDS.

Management Leadership
The project is managed by the committee made up of MCH and PPAG staff as well as major stakeholders. The project management team advocated for SRH needs of teenage mothers among stakeholders as well as solicit their support for project implementation. It has successfully spearhead the return to school of girls who stopped due to pregnancy.

The continuous interactions between project staff, beneficiaries and stakeholders has allowed for mutual search for solution and sustained support for this target group, and the successful implementation of teenage mothers' centre at Abiriw has brought to the forefront the important role NGO can play in improving the reproductive health status of young women and the health of their unplanned children.