Second Chance - Program for Child Mothers and Their Babies
We believe… hope grows where basic needs are met.
The SECOND CHANCE program is designed to care for young girls who have been kicked out of secondary school, (U.S. equivalency to high school) due to early pregnancy. Over 90% of these pregnancies are cases of molestation. Most of these young girls have also been kicked out of their homes or told to leave their village.
Shalom is a safe place for these girls to live and give birth to their babies. After birth the young mother returns to school to complete her education. Shalom provides bedrooms for mother and child, diapers, meals and child care while mom is completing her education.
There are currently 37 young mothers, ages of 14-18 and 37 children ages 3 weeks to 4 years living in our SECOND CHANCE home.
JESSICA'S CASE STORY by Consolvia Mgulka, Associate Director
Jessica is a girl from Kilimanjaro region, born in 3rd May 2006, a first born to her mother. Jessica was left to be taken care of by her grandparents at the age of four, because her mother who was just a teen, wanted to go to town and look for the job to support her family. Jessica grew up thinking that her grandfather was her dad, and grandmother her mother.
At the age of 15, her grandfather started molesting her, and forced her to keep the secret or else be killed. The grandfather continued abusing her then she ended up pregnant at the age of 16. One day she felt sick and told her grandfather. He sent her to see a nurse with a note in her hand, instructing the nurse to examine her but not to tell her anything, the results should go direct to him. After discovering that she was pregnant, the nurse took the initiative to speak with Jessica. It was at that moment she discovered her pregnancy was by her grandfather.
The nurse reported this to social welfare officers. The grandfather was detained and Jessica was brought to Shalom when she was five months pregnant. After four months, a beautiful baby girl was born. Jessica went back to school and she is about to sit for her form four final examination this year. Through the support from KIDCARE, Shalom Centre has been able to renew the dreams of many young girls like Jessica who have experienced sexual abuse.
Jessica and her baby girl Genevieve.
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