A sensitisation programme dubbed ‘Girls Mentor Girls’ has been held in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western region to educate young ladies on the implications of teenage pregnancy.

The engagement brought together female mentors who shared inspiring stories with the teenagers in the quest to enlighten them on the challenges of pursuing higher education, especially in economically-disadvantaged communities.

The well-attended event, organised by JoyNews’ Justice Baidoo’s Adubaalɛ Foundation, saw impactful coaching from individuals in field of law, engineering, business administration and nursing.

The Western region has over the years been noted as a hotspot of teenage pregnancy, a worrying issue which affects youth development in the region, especially in the Ahanta West Municipality.

Some of the reasons identified as causes of indiscriminate and unprotected sex among teenagers in the area include funeral wake keepings and late night celebrations, which usually lead to school dropouts and pregnancy cases among adolescent girls.

Following calls for increased governmental and parental controls to dealing with the issue, the Adubaalɛ Foundation has committed to holding more community engagements and creating awareness on how teenagers can confront challenges and take advantage of opportunities that could help them become economically independent.

“This would continue. The Foundation wants to raise these mentors as community champions who would continue to engaged young ones on a personal level to bring them along and help address things that stand in their way,” Mr Baidoo said.

The Foundation has already hit the ground with events and activities particularly in the Municipality where educational attainments have remained low despite its potential for industrial and economic development.

It also seeks to be a platform for partnerships and to provide support for the vulnerable.