We are targeting $15,000 to support and enroll 100 Teenage Mothers into Community-Based Schools in three districts in Sierra Leone.

• $10 will provide a pair of school shoes for a Teen Mom for more than one academic year
• $20 will provide one Teen Mom with a dozen exercise books, a pen and a Geometry set
• $25 will provide one Teen Mom with a school bag for more than one academic year
• $50 will provide one Teen Mom with a pair of School Uniform for more than an academic year
• $100 will support one Teen Mom after-school vocational training
• $120 will provide a community and media engagement campaign to end teenage pregnancy.

What is the problem or need we are seeking to solve?

Sierra Leone ranked the 10^th highest in the world for adolescent pregnancy, according to UNFPA, 14,000 teenage girls became pregnant during Ebola and adolescent pregnancy increased to 65% in the country. This is because of compounded factors in rural areas such as poverty, lack of awareness of the importance of education, negative social norms, discrimination and gender inequality. To fight early child marriage, teenage pregnancy, Female Genital Mutilation and sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls, especially in rural communities, community engagement, education and training are significant in this fight. YoMSuD-SL is in operation in more than five communities in Falaba, Koinadugu, and Bo districts to build the walls of engagement, education and training in Sierra Leone.

According to the local NGO Rainbow Initiative, there were 1,272 sexual assaults reported in five districts with 217 pregnancies between January and May in Sierra Leone. Rainbow Initiative further estimated 3,701 sexual assault cases, and 598 pregnancies resulting from assaults, Conviction of domestic violence is punishable by a substantial fine and two years imprisonment. Survivors seldom reported S.G.B.V due to their fear of social stigma and retaliation. Religious, social, and cultural barriers adversely limited access to contraception.

What are we going to do to solve it?

• Recruit 100 marginalized adolescent mothers from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in Falaba, Pujehun, and Kailahun districts;
• Register them into Community Based Secondary Schools.
• Train them on accountability, roles of girls in nation development, Leadership roles (To prepare them for leadership positions and decision making in their communities’ leadership and country’s politics and even beyond), After school capacity building training based on their talent areas,
• Give them full academic support such as school materials and school charges, and Provide them free mentorship program to prepare them to become responsible adults
• National and Community stakeholders-young people’s dialogue to end teenage pregnancy, early child marriage and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (S.G.B.V)

How will this make a lasting impact on targeted communities?

YoMSuD-SL’s Education Uninterrupted project (YoMSuD-SL EUP) is a youth social innovation program designed to bridge opportunities and skills for both Out-of-School and school-going adolescents who are disadvantaged because of negative social norms, poverty, gender, discrimination and ethnicity.

This program will provide opportunities for disadvantaged lactating adolescent mothers after giving birth to go back to school, register them in Community Based Schools, learn new skills for employment, to contribute meaningfully to building sustainable communities in Sierra Leone.

After-school vocational training and mentorship programs will enhance the income security of adolescent moms making them free from poverty for them to become responsible adults and less susceptible to the influence of others within their communities, this will promote women and girls’ human rights, foster peace unity, adolescents becomes free from violence in their communities and the world.