PROJECT PROPOSAL 

TITLE OF PROJECT: “TEENAGE AND EARLY/UNWANTED PREGNANCIES”.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

 Name of Organisation: Divisional Delegation of Women’s Empowerment and the Family for Menoua - Dschang.

 Country: Republic of Cameroon

 City: Dschang

Location of the Event and contact details:

-Secondary and High Schools in 02 Sub-Divisions in Menoua Division, West Region, Republic of Cameroon

Coordinator: Marah Mbine Ngole Epie, Divisional Delegate of Women’s Empowerment and the Family for Menoua

P.O.Box: 86, Dschang, West Region, Cameroon

Contact: (237) 33451385 (office) and (237) 77676592 (Mobile)

Assistant Coordinator: Tala Wakeu Augustin, Doctorate Student in Political Sciences, University of Dschang,

 P.O. Box: 96 s/c University of Dschang, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences  

Contact: (237) 99675980 (Mobile)

Type of Event: Workshop/Training

Period: 12^th September- 03^rd October 2012.

*12^th September 2012, meeting to concert with Principals, to brief them on the project, and do planning

*24^th September 2012, produce and hang up a banner

*26^th September and 03^rd October 2012, working visits to the schools, 02 per day.

Goal: This project aims at contributing to the reduction of early and unprotected sexual relationships amongst young Secondary/High school students, by improving on their knowledge on the social repercussions of pregnancy and, abortion related complications, to help them build up healthy and responsible sexual relationships.

Justification: Sexual promiscuity is very rampant amongst teenagers and sometimes still with their teachers in Secondary/High schools in the Division.

Every academic year as many as 25 cases of pregnancy are registered in the government Secondary/High schools in the vicinity. Here below is a table on the situation in 06 government colleges, for the academic year 2011/2012.

ACADEMIC YEAR 2011/2012: NUMBER OF CASES ON TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN SCHOOLS

This table speaks for itself. The consequences, of course, are many on the victim, partner, parents, community and the nation at large. Often, the teenage mother may decide to carry out clandestine abortion; hide the pregnancy from close ones and then kill or abandon baby after delivery; drop out of school; go into early and forced marriage; become an additional burden on her family; develop some health complications, STI/HIV/AIDS; further sell sex to make ends meet, etc.

             Through this project, we will be able to communicate safe, healthy and responsible behavior and practices for a positive change.

Target audience:

-School authorities

-Teachers

-Students (boys/girls)

-Youths

-Families

SUSTAINABILITY: There are Parents-Teachers Associations in all schools. These results gotten from the workshops/training will be communicated to the students’ parents in group discussions, for stronger commitments and responsible parenthood. More so, this project will be extended to the other 05 Sub-Divisions that make up Menoua Division. This pilot project which does not exist in other part of the West Region of Cameroon could in the long run be executed nationwide.

Number of attendees: (2000 participants, precisely 500 persons from each school)

i)Government High School Nkong-Ni

ii)Classical High School Dschang

iii) Technical High School Dschang

iv) Bilingual High School Dschang

Issues to be addressed and guest speakers:

a) Teenage pregnancy as a social issue (-Define pregnancy-early pregnancy-pregnancy with STI/HIV-Social repercussions, on individual, partner, family and society) by Mr. Salif Mforain Mouassie, Coordinator “Horizon Jeune”.

 b) Causes of teenage pregnancy (-Teenage sexual behavior-Age discrepancy in relationships/statutory rape-sexual abuse-dating violence-childhood environment-public opinion) by Mme. Marah Epie, Social Worker, Divisional Delegate of Women’s Empowerment and the Family for Menoua.

c) Who is responsible for teenage pregnancies? (parents-boys-girls), by Mr. Tala Wakeu Augustin, Doctorate Student, in Political Sciences, University of Dschang.

 d) Abortions and impact on victim’s health (-Definition of Abortion-Types of abortion-local techniques of carrying out abortions and their complication -factors that favour early and unwanted pregnancy) by Dr. Bouting Mayaka Georges, Director of the Dschang District Hospital.

e) Gender and decision-making before and during pregnancy, by Dr. Atanga Lilian, Head of Department African Studies, University of Dschang.

f) Taking commitments, by Mme. Marah Epie. 

Partners:

-Administration

-Councils

-Principals of Government Secondary/High Schools in Menoua Division

-Media (02 local radio stations and Equinoxe Television)

-Health

-University of Dschang

-Civil society Organisation, “Horizon Jeune”

Parents-Teachers, Associations in 04 schools

AWAITED RESULTS:

At the end of the workshop/training school authorities and students will:

* be better informed on the repercussions of early/unwanted pregnancy

*have knowledge on abortion related complications

*identify situations whereby their choices are influenced or controlled by others, and vice versa

*Propose new strategies to help reduce pregnancies for school aged children

*Postpone 1^st sexual intercourse relationship and,

*Take commitments to modify/change personal behavior and attitudes, for healthier and safer sexual lives.

NB: This project has already been granted partial sponsorship by the 02 local Councils in place.

Attached: -Detailed Programmed for workshop

Dschang, on the 15^th September 2012.

Signed: Marah Epie

E-mail:mbine2002@yahoo.fr

PROGRAMME  DE LA CAMPAGNE DE SENSIBILISATION SUR LA LUTTE CONTRE LES GROSSESSES PRECOCES ET NON- DESIREES DANS LES ETABLISSEMENTS SECONDAIRES DE LA VILLE DE DSCHANG ET DE SES ENVIRONS.

Thème : «ADOLESCENTES, GROSSESSES PRECOCES ET NON-DESIREES».

               Période : 26 Septembre - 03 Octobre 2012

 The working visits in these 04 Secondary and High schools effectively took place on 26th September and 03rd October 2012. The guidian Counsellors each presented the situation of adolescents and unwanted pregnancies in their respective institions, noting that for the past 03 years there is a geometric increase. Besides, the students presented their problems through sketches. These and other information gathered, made us agree that such action needed to to be expanded to other schools; and repeated before children go for the long vacation.

Attached is a video on the campaign actions.