Sophia Abbiw

I did my community service in Abrobeano, a village located in the central Region of Ghana. I organized a communal labour in the community to weed around bushy areas, sweep and educated them on the importance of keeping the environment clean. I also went to a school named Emmanuel Methodist Preparatory school to educate the preschool children the various parts of the body and how to inform their parents if there is pain in the parts identified.

I started this community service on the 15th of April 2023 in Dominase a community located in the central region of Ghana. I met Victoria during one of my routine home visits to educate people in their homes.

Victoria, a 16-year-old girl was chased out of the house by her Aunty who found out that she was pregnant. I asked about the whereabouts of her parents and she told me that they died when she was only 10 years old and was being cared for by her 

 Aunty so she has no parents and siblings anywhere, she is the only child of her parents.

I asked about what she does for a living and she told me that, she roams mostly during the weekends in the community to wash people's clothes for money and also weeds in farms for people to earn money to buy food for herself. According to Victoria, she sleeps in the uncompleted building during the night and works during the day to care for herself and she plans to abort the pregnancy when she gets the required amounts in order to return home because she is suffering.

I advised Victoria to keep the pregnancy since abortion is dangerous to her health and the resulting future consequences. Her lifestyle and pregnancy was not healthy so I donated something small for her welfare. I asked Victoria to go home but she told me that, she has been told not to return until the pregnancy is no more. I enquired to know about the man responsible for her pregnancy who has been taking care of her but she said he did not accept the pregnancy and he is nowhere to be found but later got to know that he is a married man. I took Victoria to my house so she can spend the night there and visit her Aunty on the next day. 

On the next day, we made a visit to her Aunty’s house. I was a bit scared when she came out of her room angry, I knelt down with Victoria to beg her Aunty to accept her back and it was possible with the help of the neighbors. After accepting Victoria, I took the opportunity to educate her Aunty on the need to take good care of Victoria and also ensure she attends the antenatal clinic for her health and that of the baby to be stable. After a short conversation, I thanked Victoria’s Aunty and asked for permission took their contact and left but I always make sure to check up on them to ensure things are going right. I was informed on 1st October 2023 that she had delivered so I visited them after a break from school and donated something small for Victoria and her delivered a baby boy. I advised Victoria to take good care of the child. She has completed Junior High School and does not want to continue. 

Since there is a high rate of teenage pregnancy in the community, I would like to use the opportunity and establish adolescents-friendly services to help educate the adolescents with the help of the community elders.