EDU PTG

It all began five years ago, in 2018.



I schooled in akungba akoko, a rural community where the value of a girl child's education pales in comparison to that of a boy child. The rural community is structured in such a way that social norms and culture encourage them to pay little or no attention to a girl child, let alone her education. Consider what happens if the girls’ become victims of unwanted pregnancy during their adolescence. This brings me back to the source of my wish.



When I discovered three pregnant teenage girls on my street, I was a 200-level Economics student at Adekunle Ajasin University. On my way to school, I frequently see them on the street. In fact, one of them, Salewa, lived directly behind my house. I was both shocked and concerned for them because they were so young, between the ages of 12 and 13. I became interested in them and began observing them until they gave birth and did not return to school for about a year. Then I discovered that they had begun hawking and running market errands. I had to confront Salewa, who lived in the back of my house, and ask her why she hadn't returned to school. My parents advised me to drop out of school and focus on feeding my child and family, she explained. I was stunned for a few seconds, not knowing what to say. When I asked if she wanted to go back to school for real, she said yes and that she had begged her parents to let her, but they said she should forget about education. When I heard this, my bones split open within me. I kept an eye out for the other two pregnant teenagers, but they were in the same boat as Salewa, my neighbor. I was even more perplexed because there was nothing I could do to help them avoid such a social-cultural manace. I reasoned that just because these girls were victims of mistakes caused by ignorance or negligence on their part or on the part of their parents, they shouldn't have to live with the consequences for the rest of their lives because of a gender bias policy or socio-cultural norms. They should not face discrimination or be denied access to a high-quality education. That's when my wish started.



I began working on a study about adolescent pregnancy and how it affects their education. In Nigeria, there are 106 pregnant adolescent girls for every 1000 teenage girls. And they are all at risk of never being able to further their education. This threat is especially prevalent in rural areas. The desire to offer a solution to this problem prompted me to launch Female Things Up.



Female Things Up (FTU) is a Non-Governmental Organization that seeks to proffer and implement appropriate solutions to solve the gross problem of gender issues affecting women and girls in Africa. In accordance with the United Nation’s SDGs of No Poverty, Quality Education, Gender Equality, and Decent Work & Economic Growth (SDGs 1,4,5 & 8 respectively), we work to bridge the gap by inspiring, educating, sensitizing, advocating, and implementing projects that positively impact the lives of individual women and girls mostly in rural communities in Africa, to enhance their dreams, development, and growth on the wheel of equality thereby achieving a sustainable economy. Our dream is to see every woman and girl have equal access to opportunities and rights to maximize their full potential.



The EDU PTG PROJECT is one of the project ideas I developed based on our organization's focus area (Educate Pregnant Teenagers Girls Project). This project aims to provide solutions to the inappropriate termination of education for pregnant teenage girls in rural communities. Our goal is to create an educational platform for pregnant teenagers to return to school and be educated while experiencing less/zero stigma or giving up on their dreams. We also hope to empower them by teaching them entrepreneurship skills so that they can provide for themselves and their kid on their own. We want to protect these teenagers’ rights because they have access to all human rights regardless of their pregnancy.



The second component of the EDU PTG PROJECT focuses on reducing the alarming rate of teenage pregnancy in African rural communities by informing them about their Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR). We believe that if teenagers have access to proper education about their Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Information, the alarming rate of teenage pregnancy in Africa can be reduced.



The third component of our project was derived from our team's various research in rural communities. Conclusions were drawn from the fact that parents in rural communities are unconcerned about their female child's education because their primary focus and attention is on the male child, whom they believe will carry on the family name due to social norms and cultural beliefs. Another major factor contributing to the alarming rate of pregnant teenagers and the end of their education is parental neglect of their female children. Regardless of the child's pleas to return to school, the parents severely punish their female child who becomes pregnant This component of our project focuses on educating parents in rural communities about the importance of educating their daughters. This will help to close the gender gap.



EDU PTG Project is in line with the UN SDGs 1,4, 5 & 8 respectively. (No poverty, quality education, gender equality, decent work, and economic growth).



However, due to a lack of funding, my desire to solve the improper end to the education of pregnant teenagers through the platform and project I created has yet to come true. My greatest wish is to obtain funding and support to register my platform and carry out my vision for young teenage girls in Nigeria and throughout Africa.



I am an enthusiastic change agent. I believe that change starts with everyone and that by working together, we can make the world a better place.