Should childbirth mark the end of one’s dreams and aspirations? We do not know your answer, but ours is certainly not in the affirmative—it is a big NO!
It all began with a simple observation such as young mothers hawking on the streets of Sunyani with their babies tied on their backs under the scorching sun. With both mother and child in unpalatable conditions, InspiNest questioned how it could intervene. As a Non-Governmental Organization with a vision to empower young people to transform society through entrepreneurship and innovation, we felt the urgent need to dive into this disturbing trend and contribute to its solutions.
After several months of speaking to the young mothers themselves, seasoned development practitioners, traditional authorities, policymakers, and of course, our partners, we took a firm position that childbirth, especially among young girls, should NOT plunge them into worsened living conditions and extreme poverty. In collaboration with our major partner, SDG World in Denmark, we developed the Young Mothers in Entrepreneurship project—a year-long project that seeks to equip 200 adolescent mothers with various entrepreneurial skills.
What did we find?
In Sunyani’s rural and urban areas, particularly, Kwatire, Adantia, Adoe, Nkrankrom, and Baanu-Nkwanta, limited opportunities exist for educational, entrepreneurial, and occupational training for adolescent mothers. These vulnerable girls are usually unable to go back to school after birth due to stigma and their newly acquired parental responsibilities which consequently result in social withdrawal and exclusion.
Their susceptibility to poverty is further worsened and the chances of recurring unplanned pregnancies are increased due to their dependence on others, usually older men, for financial support. This also has dire consequences for their children who are at an increased risk of malnutrition and other health complications. The worsened living conditions of young mothers inevitably affect their children’s education and overall quality of life, thereby making it an extremely difficult sport to emancipate themselves from the poverty trap.
We also realized that the concept of entrepreneurship is mostly unfamiliar to adolescent mothers in many areas of Sunyani, where their primary focus is often on daily sustenance through routine activities. Some also rely on sporadic support from their children’s fathers, who are sometimes young people themselves facing financial challenges or older irresponsible men. While some may engage in informal buying and selling, the transition to becoming sustainable entrepreneurs remains difficult.
Project’s objectives
This project seeks to equip 200 young mothers and pregnant women with the requisite knowledge and support to successfully establish their own livelihood opportunities. We aim at providing young mothers and pregnant women faced with limited socio-economic opportunities with a holistic set of skills and tools in order for them to have a better chance at improving their livelihoods.
An entrepreneurship hub and pop-up information center will be established in Sunyani to cater to the needs of adolescent mothers and support them in their empowerment journey. By providing a safe and supportive space for adolescent girls to come together, we intend to cultivate a sense of solidarity and strength in community. Through shared experiences, mutual support, and collaborative activities, the target group will not only gain valuable skills and knowledge but also develop meaningful connections with their peers. This sense of belonging and friendship fosters resilience, self-confidence, and a deep sense of empowerment, enabling girls to navigate the complexities of adolescence with greater resilience and agency.
As the social stigma for young mothers and pregnant women can make them ashamed to take part in their local communities, this space will be for them and by them, where they don’t have to hide their pregnancies or life stories.
This space will also serve as a child-care facility which will engage their children while they participate in their training activities. To avoid distractions, the childcare facility will serve as a space where their children can be given utmost care and attention by engaging them in activities that will keep them entertained and engaged. It will also have resource materials like painting items and toys that children can play with while they wait for their mothers. We will also ensure that they have adequate supplies to provide them with a good rest. Young mothers who get the opportunity to learn a trade or go back to school are usually unable to do so due to the lack of support in caring for their babies. This space aims to take away that burden.
There will also be several outreach activities on radio and information centers which are aimed at providing young mothers and other young women in some selected communities with sexual and reproductive health education with Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana. There will also be guidance and counselling services that are tailored to their specific needs
Partners
Our major partners for this project are the esteemed SDG World and Civil Society in Development (CISU), all in Denmark.
Our local partners are Sunyani Youth Development Association, Youth Employment Agency, Planned Parenthood Ghana, Social Welfare Department, Gender Department, Children’s Department, National Youth Authority and the traditional leaders of the target communities.
