THE seventh batch of adolescent mothers who successfully completed a Women Across Differences (WAD) programme graduated last Friday.
Among this group, eight mothers benefited from child care and first-aid training, 15 benefited from the care of the elderly as well as first-aid training and one successfully completed the ICT programme.

WAD is a network of women committed to serving individuals and vulnerable groups through education, empowerment and advocacy in order to promote social change.
Through the collaboration of the Georgetown Public Hospital and the Childcare and Protection Agency, the participants were referred to the programme which provided them with higher learning and a safe environment and support system.
Coordinator of WAD, Clonel Samuels-Boston, noted that the programme in which the women participated “began in 2008 and was sponsored by the United Nations population fund for five years.”

Samuels-Boston said the aim was “to provide a second chance to girls because of their socio-economic circumstances which hinge on sexual abuse, poverty, lack of parental support and guidance and a societal culture which discriminates against them.”
Addressing the graduates, First Lady Sandra Granger encouraged them to put this second chance provided them to good use.

“This programme has proven that there are second chances, it has helped you the participants to understand the risks you may face with repeat pregnancies, it has taught you to nurture and care for your baby and yourself, it has encouraged you to ask questions about the things you may not understand until you get the answers you seek, it has made you positive about yourself as a viable human being capable of contributing to our society.”
She also urged the young women to further their studies and not be afraid to venture into Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

According to the First Lady, “This is where the jobs will be in the future. Seventy per cent of our jobs will require knowledge of computer science, 60 per cent of the jobs will soon be done by robots, so we need to get in and do not ever believe that you must have a low-paying job.  Get involved in STEM.”

Since its inception, the programme has benefited more than 475 adolescent mothers and is designed to address the areas of personal development, skills for life, functional literacy, sexual and reproductive health and rights, entrepreneurial and income-earning skills training and psychosocial support.