A Teen Mother’s Journey of Resilience—and Return to Education
The Bantwana Initiative Uganda (BIU) is dedicated to empowering vulnerable children, adolescents, and young women and men through initiatives that strengthen child protection, enhance access to education, and promote sustainable livelihoods. Supporting community-level norms change, information access, and referral systems, BIU creates safe spaces for vulnerable populations, builds resilience through psychosocial support, and facilitates skills development for long-term stability and independence. One of our cornerstone programs is SAFE (Safety at All times For Every Child), which has been in operation for nearly 17 years. (Originally launched in 2008 as the Western Uganda Bantwana Project, under World Education’s Bantwana Initiative, SAFE is now fully managed and implemented by BIU, an indigenous Ugandan NGO since 2023.
The story of Blessing is a testament to the resilience and progress that BIU fosters among individuals and families.
Like hundreds of thousands of Ugandan children, Blessing’s education was severely disrupted by the lengthy school closures of 2020 and 2021, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The tenth child in her family, Blessing was 15 at the time and soon found herself pregnant by her then-17-year-old boyfriend. Upon realizing she was pregnant, Blessing confessed, ‘Fear washed over me. But I knew there was no avoiding it, so I had to tell my mother.’
Cultural norms and related stigma around out-of-wedlock teenage pregnancy provoked a harsh response from her family, and Blessing was chased out of the house. With limited options, she resorted to manual labor, such as digging, to meet basic needs. Both the physical and emotional toll were immense, and there was no support from the child’s father, who had seemingly disappeared.
Gradually, however, with the passage of time and some reflection, Blessing’s mother—Annet Kabahaguzi—softened her stance. Eventually, Blessing was able to return home. Recognizing the importance of supporting ongoing education, especially since Blessing had previously been quite successful in school, Annet wanted her daughter to have another chance.
Through the family’s participation in church activities, Blessing met a para-social worker (PSW) affiliated with BIU’s extensive outreach and comprehensive care network. While not employed by BIU, such PSWs are essential partners who receive training and support from BIU programs so they can more effectively identify and support vulnerable populations.
The PSW connected Blessing to one of the BIU-related support groups for teen mothers—an initiative established on the basis of learning from the SAFE Project. Several years prior, a series of “Girl Talk” sessions under the SAFE program had identified significant dropout among girls in primary school as an issue needing targeted support and intervention.
Aware of the challenges faced by young mothers like Blessing, Annet encouraged her daughter to join the group, viewing it as an important resource. These teen-mother support groups act as crucial lifelines, providing solidarity and a sense of empowerment as well as developing practical skills to promote financial independence.
For Blessing, training in soap-making and sales offered by the group became a reliable income source. Additionally, the group’s occasional financial assistance enabled her to hire laborers for her mother’s garden, which generated income to purchase essentials for her child.
Blessing’s former headmistress, Madam Rebecca, generously sponsored her return to formal education. As Blessing resumed school, her mother Annet has taken on caregiving responsibilities for her granddaughter—and often talks about the importance of the group to other families. She emphasizes the role of the teen mother groups in nurturing and equipping young mothers for success beyond motherhood.
“Parents should place importance on their children’s education,” Annet shares.
As of 2024, Blessing is in Senior 5, with one more year to go before graduating to start university. Blessing is focused on creating a bright future for herself and her four-year-old. Reflecting on her experience, she advocates for young girls to approach relationships with caution, aiming to prevent others from enduring similar hardships.