Collage pictures of participants at the empowerment training.
In its resolve to mitigate the surge of teenage pregnancy among adolescent girls in Majidun area of Ikorodu, ATLAS Initiative through its ELiTE project strengthened the health and environmental resilience of 50 adolescent girls and young women in the axis.
Newsconnect reports that the ELiTE project with the support of PLAN International Nigeria will concentrate on areas such as menstrual health, family planning, rights awareness as well as practical skills in the production of organic hygiene and Eco-friendly reusable sanitary products.
It seeks to provide these adolescent girls and young women, particularly from marginalized communities, essential knowledge and tools needed to understand and manage the impacts of climate change on their sexual and reproductive health.
The Project Manager of the ELiTE project Olatunji Bushroh, in an interview with Newsconnect correspondence at the first empowerment training of the adolescent girls, said over time they had been working in the Majidun community; hence, they noticed the incidence of high teenage pregnancy among girls in the community.
In her own words, she said;
“We’ve had sexual and reproductive rights training for girls, so we feel we should come in another dimension. We decided to do sexual reproductive health rights alongside empowering the students with skills.
“So we are not just making them them aware of their sexual and reproductive rights, we are also empowering them with skills like soap making, pad making, hygiene products generally.
“We all know the increase in the price of pad. There is ‘Period Poverty’ all over the country. We are trying to teach these girls, empower them how to make pads they can use by themselves, how to maintain proper hygiene while using it and also how to sell to other girls in the community and make money.
“One of the reasons teenage pregnancy is prevalent and other social vices affecting girl child is poverty. We are trying to create an avenue where they can make money on their own such that they won’t be attracted to opposite sex offering them money in exchange for sex.
“We are also teaching them upcycling, which is called waste to wealth. There are environmental challenges. We are trying to convert the waste in the environment which often affects the sea and life inside water.
“We have waters in the community and these wastes are affecting the water channels and everything. We use the waste to do centre table, furniture using tyres, bottles.
“We are empowering them, given them a voice, given them a safe space. We believe we can guide them and be a role model to them.
“Some of them can come to us after the session. Share their sexual challenges , financial challenges. It is a 9 month training for 50 adolescent girls. We have more than the number already.
“We are trying to reach 1000 girls through the already selected girls for this training. They will cascade the knowledge to other girls in the community.
“The project is for girls from 15 years and above. We have seen younger girls who have shown interest in joining. When they have the knowledge and skills, they can prevent teenage pregnancy and all that”. She said.
Damilola Omotosho, who trained the young girls, said that when you train them like this, they have something to hold onto, especially female girls.
“They are vulnerable, they are exposed to so many things. As a girl child, if you are able to own your own money, it will go a long way. The girls will be enticed by so many things a guy will offer them. In as much as you are capable, in fact, you can buy what the guy is offering you for the guy.
“The process of making it looks cheap; however, if you do not know it, you don’t know it. I expect them to be able to produce these things after now. The truth is the material is something you can easily save up to buy. With 5,000 naira, you can get up to 10 litres of soap. You don’t have to start big, start with what you have”. She said.
Some of the beneficiaries of the training who spoke with our correspondent said they have learnt new source of income and ready to hit the ground running.
Ogunbayo Fausat Toyin, a physically challenged lady, said that despite being above the age bracket, she jettisoned the limitation because she needed the training.
In an interview at the training, she said;
” The training was listed on our group, but many didn’t show up due to the age bracket. I came because I am interested in learning new things to expand my business. I can now make soap, Air freshener, and Dettol. At least with 20,000 naira, I can start something, and with 50,000, I can do branding and the rest”. She said.
Akanbi Kehinde, a 19-year-old pregnant young lady, expressed satisfaction with the initiative just as Idowu Adewale, a 25-year-old mother of two, appreciated the intervention.
By equipping 50 adolescent girls and young women with essential knowledge and skills for sustainable reproductive health practices and climate change adaptation, the project endeavours to improve their personal well-being and contribute to the environmental sustainability of their community.
The acronym ELiTE means you Empowering Lives Through Education Project.