Social enterprise to feed teenage mothers

A drama skit showing how teenage girls are lured by men. Photos by Richard Wetaya

TEENAGE MOTHERS|NUTRITION

Over the last 10-15 years, adolescent pregnancy rates in Uganda have increased.

Statistics from the health ministry show that 24% of Ugandan girls aged 15 to 19 years are mothers or pregnant with their first child.

According to statistics from the population secretariat, of the 1.2 million pregnancies recorded in Uganda annually, 25% are teenage pregnancies.

However, one of the challenges, pregnant teenagers face today is the lack of knowledge on proper nutrition.

Some of the guests at the breakfast launch

"Pregnancy during adolescence is a time of extreme nutritional risk because most teenagers have no knowledge about appropriate nutrition."

"Teenage mothers should not only be provided with proper nutritional foods, but also information on the right nutritional recommendations," says Mark Montgomery, the director of Feed a Millions Mouths International.

Montgomery was speaking recently at the Buy Breakfast Campaign event, at the Dancing Cup in Bugolobi, Kampala.

The event-themed-"Importance of nutrition and education for pregnant teens" organised by Feed a  Million Mouths Uganda was meant to support teenage pregnancy centers run by Youth for Christ Uganda

At the event, various stakeholders were given opportunity to buy for as low as sh8,000-high nutritional food, principally high nutrition corn soy blend porridge for the girls at the Youth for Christ Pregnancy Centres in Kakajo, Kivulu and Nankulabye and at risk communities in Lomaratoit- Karamoja.

Feed a Million Mouths International also pledged to provide over 400kg of porridge every month to over 250 pupils in Lomaratoit Primary school in Napak district.

Montgomery (right) speaking at the breakfast campaign

Montgomery revealed that over 50 girls will be given food assistance as the campaign continues.

"We are looking to raise 100kg of food sponsorship. The more sponsorship we shall get for the Buy Breakfast Campaign, the more high nutrition corn soy blend we shall provide directly to the teenage pregnancy centers," Montgomery said.

How Buy Breakfast works
An interested person or company buys a breakfast pack, confirms their order and pays for their order through a Feed a Million Mouths sales agent or through mobile money.

The breakfast packs range from 10kg to 100kg.