Teenage Pregnancy What is the reality? Story From Peagie Foday.

Peagie Foday is the Founder of PEAGIE WOOBAY SCHOLARSHIP FUND 

Empowering the Girl Child in Sierra Leone, who was 16 years old when she became pregnant. Straight From The Heart and One Liberia Advocacy Radio want to embark on National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy by listening to stories from teen who were pregnant and have made progress in their lives and their education as a woman. Out team want the campaign to seeks how to improve the lives and future prospects of children and families and in particular, to help ensure that children are born into stable homes.

We want Peagie Foday to work with us in this campaign to start her own blog where she will talk about efforts to prevent too early pregnancy and challenges these young girls encounter.

All I know in my own time and now these young girls are often told about how to reduce the risk of pregnancy and STIs(sexually transmitted infection) but rarely are they given guidance on how to successfully navigate ways to prevent and stay safe.

One Liberia Advocacy Online Radio's Agnes Fallah Kamara Umunna spoke with her about teen pregnancy and the challenges associated issues.

AU: How old were you when you had your first child?

PF: I was barely 16

AU: What were some of the challenges that you faced being a parent at a young age?

PF: It was very difficult as I was a child myself. Imagine a 16year old not been able to sleep all night because she had to breastfeed. I was so tired in the morning and then there was the washing of nappies/diapers, feeding the baby in the morning, washing it and taking care of it. I just could not..I had no strength.

AU: How did you cope with the difficulties of raising a child? 

PF: I honestly could not cope. A girl child should not be a mother. The tasks are just too much for a girl child to do. I had to depend on my family for so much help and thank God I did get from all my family. And for me to be able to go back to school, my elder sister took my son at 5months.

AU: Did you have a second child while you were still in your teenage years?

PF: No. Went straight on prevention

AU: What would you tell a teenage girl who was considering becoming a mother? 

PF: Not to become a mother. The teenage body is never ready for motherhood. Teenage pregnancy causes 40% of mortality rate at child birth according WHO report in 2012. In my case my pelvic was too small and still is. I could not deliver naturally and had it not been that I was well taken care of health wise, I would have died. I had a C section and that has been the case for my kids after.

AU: If you could go back in time and do it all over again would you do it the same?

PF: No, I will not as it was really difficult even though I had help from my family. And we give birth to children to take care of them and love them. I could not take care of my son. The first time I bought him clothes was on his 3rd birthday, with pocket money I had put together. I don't think that was fair on my son, but I could not buy him clothing before that. I felt so bad that when I could afford it I spoil him to nothing which was not too good.

AU: What advice do you give teens to prepare them for what lies ahead for them?

PF: I will advise them to take their education seriously as that's what will sustain them in the future. To prevent themselves from teenage pregnancy.

AU: Do you refer them to places where they can find assistance? 

PF: Yes, to go to their public health care centers to seek assistance which is normally free. In the case of the teenage mums under my scheme who have gone back to school, we put them on preventives at the local health care centers. The problem girls face is even though institutions like PLAN and like make preventives available, they always think they have to pay for it at the centers or some centers do ask for money though it should be free. We had to physically go with the girls and make sure they got it for free and have regular check up.

AU: How can we educate them about prevention?

PF: Through workshops during which health workers should be present to sensitize them on the risks of teenage pregnancy and show them the venues where they can access preventions.

AU: What are their risks of Sexually Transmitted Diseases?

PF: Enormous risks as they normally have unprotected sex

AU: What would you do to help prevent teen pregnancy.

PF: Massive sensitization and access to prevention for girls.

AU: In your own opinion, What option do you see teen doing more, as in, keeping the baby, adoption, or abortion 

PF: It depends on their environment. In rural areas in Sierra Leone the girls tend more to keep the babies as they are left with no choice. In urban areas, they will go along with abortion.

AU: What resources are available in the community to help a pregnant teen?

PF: Not much. They are shunned in life and thus left to find for themselves, and in most cases they end up to be completely drop out. That why organizations like the Peagie Woobay Scholarship Fund play a vital role in the lives of these vulnerable girls. They are rarely given second chances like i had. So the foundation today puts teen mums back to school and mentor them throughout. These girls find confidences in themselves again.

AU: Can a pregnant teen continue in school with her education? 

PF: Sure they can. Like I did and succeeded. That is why I use my story, my dream to work with them. Shows them that though I'm against teenage pregnancy due to the risks, but that if it happens it is not the end of their lives and they can return to school and become educated and independent women.

AU: Ten years after a teen has her baby, what is their poverty rate? 

PF: Well it depends if she did not return to school to empower herself, then she will continue having babies and the poverty rate will be high as she cannot fend for herself.

AU: Is the rate of teen pregnancy in our community higher than the national average?

PF: Sierra Leone has had a very high rate of teenage pregnancy for some time now. It is counted among the first five countries which is not good. And with the advent of Ebola, it has gotten worse. Schools were closed since July 2014. Obviously the girls staying home with nothing to do, though not an excuse, became pregnant thus increasing the rate of teen pregnancy.

Reporting for One Liberia Advocacy Online Radio this is Peagie Foday Founder Peagie Woobay Scholarship Fund talking about Teen Pregnancy to Agnes Fallah Kamara Umunna, Radio Producer and Presenter One Liberia Advocacy Online radio.