On Monday, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, issued a wise counsel to Jamaican women as she spoke to a group of teenage mothers who had successfully been reintegrated back to school, through a special programme for adolescent mothers.
Margaret spoke at the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF) in Kingston, Jamaica, where she was the guest of honour.
She said early pregnancies should not mean a dead end to the education of girls or condemn the young mothers to misery and poverty associated with illiteracy.
“I have fervently supported projects-such as this one, that encourages girls to stay in school to benefit from uninterrupted education despite their circumstances. I truly believe in the promise of hope that education gives to empower our girls,” Margaret disclosed.
According to the First Lady, keeping girls in school directly lowers the rate of maternal mortality and protects young women from challenges such as HIV infections.
She also advised Jamaican women that early pregnancies should not mean a dead end to the education of girls or condemn the young mothers to misery and poverty associated with illiteracy.
“We all want the girl child to have a better future, yet we cannot forget that there are still girls who deserve these opportunities but never get a chance,” she declared.
Using the case of Kenya, she warned that girls are hindered in their pursuit of education by barriers among them the distance between their homes and learning institutions and financial limitations that constrain many families, causing young girls to stay at home to cater for their siblings.
Harmful practices such as early marriages and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) are the other impediments to girl child education that she cited.
“We work hard to find practical solutions similar to this program to ensure the young teenagers do not drop out of school. We encourage communities to reintegrate young mothers and send them back to school,” Margaret divulged.
She applauded her hosts for the innovative program and congratulated current students for their unyielding resilience and for recognizing the importance of education in unlocking their future.
Besides providing education for young mothers, the centre offers intensive counselling on health, family and life education, childcare training and provision of support and referral services for both men and women.
“I encourage all you girls here to make the most of this opportunity to nurture your talent and reach for the stars,” she urged the young mothers.
The First Lady is accompanying President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is on a three-day state visit of Caribbean nation.
