We all deserve a second chance- a 25,000-dollar campaign to restore the dignity of 250 Teenage Mothers in Rural Liberia for this Holiday Season.
Baby-Girl Tokpah (now 15 years old) went to live with her aunt in Gboquenisue in Bong County, rural Liberia when she was younger with the hope of going to school. Unfortunately, this did not happen as she was only in the house helping with traditional farming activities and doing household chores. Then at 14, Baby-Girl got pregnant. Baby aunt immediately sent her back to her village where is now with her mother. According to Baby, her child does not have a father meaning the boyfriend that impregnated her is nowhere to be found. She is now left to struggle with her 6 months old child.
Baby-Girl is among the high number of teenage pregnant girls and teenage mothers in Liberia. According to Save The Children 3 in 10 Liberian girls are pregnant before the age of 18. The rate of pregnancy among adolescent girls aged 15-19 in rural areas (42 %) is almost double that in urban areas (24 %). Poverty is the main cause of girls getting pregnant at an early age.
The Liberian News Agency did a short documentary on Baby and a group of other young baby mothers. Henrietta, a native of Bong County based in the US, upon watching the video wrote on social media: As citizens of our precious world, we need to find out how we can give back during this Holiday season. We all deserve a second chance. We all have been down that route either directly or indirectly. What about when we all became hopelessly homeless no food, we were displaced too during the civil conflict, we had no change of clothes. What about just drinking water which we couldn’t afford. When there were no promises of getting the next meal. To initiate this I will give US$100 as a starting point.
So true, interrupted David Flomo, another Liberian based in the USA. My family will contribute $100 for Christmas for teenage pregnant girls and teenage mothers, he continued.
Can you join Henrietta and David to give teenage pregnant girls and teenage mothers a second chance?
- Your gift of $25 purchases one 25 LBs clean rice plus ingredients to give a child and mother a successful Holiday celebration.
- Your gift of $50 purchases food and clothes for a teenage pregnant girl.
- Your gift of $100 purchases food, clothes and provides counseling services to a teenage mother.
- Your gift of $200 purchases food, sanitation materials, clothes and provides counseling services to 2 teenage mothers and their babies.
- Your gift of $1000 purchases food, sanitation materials, clothes and provides counseling services to 10 teenage mothers and their babies.
One Life Liberia, a 501C3 tax-exempt organization based in the US and in Liberia will identify teenage pregnant girls and teenage pregnant mothers, directly disburse cash to them for Christmas, and provide counseling services focused on giving girls second chances to succeed in vocation education.