04/02/2023
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
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We are based in Eastern Uganda and we offer care and protection to pregnant teenagers, teenage mothers and vulnerable children.
The organization is one of Eastern Uganda`s first centers for teen parents; especially teen mothers; and their children and will be offering counselling & health advises, legal assistance, capacity building in economic livelihood, human and children rights, prenatal and postnatal care and support, and positive parenting advises to adolescent mothers aged 14-19 years old.
Our core programs focus on;
1.) Psycho-social support
2.) Legal Aid
3.) Economic Empowerment
4). Capacity building
The following is a non-exhaustive list of some of the activities undertaken by Safe Divine Haven Ministries Uganda in the different programs. training, parenting support groups, healthcare support, saving and crediting groups, vocational training, advocacy campaigns to mention a few.
In each case, a variety of complex socioeconomic factors are involved including poverty, communities and families acceptance of child marriage, cultural behaviors, gender inequality, sexual violence, lack of education and information among others.
Pregnancy undermines a girl`s ability to exercise her rights to education, health and autonomy.
Adolescent pregnancy is dangerous for the child given that still births and death in the first week of life are higher among babies born to mothers younger than 20 years than among babies born to mothers of 20–29 years old.
Deaths during the first month of life are 50–100% more frequent if the mother is an adolescent versus older, and the younger the mother, the higher the risk.
The rates of preterm birth, low birth weight and asphyxia are higher among the children of adolescents, all of which increase the chance of death and of future health problems for the baby.
The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted all aspects of life in Uganda, resulting in school closures, loss of jobs, and disruptions in access to health and social services.
As a result, adolescent girls were deprived of the social protection that school offers and had been exposed to risks of sexual violence, exploitation and abuse, child marriages, and teenage pregnancies.
The high rates of teenage pregnancy during the covid-19 period, can be attributed to disruption to programs that support access to sexual reproductive health information and services to schoolgirls.
OUR OVERALL OBJECTIVE
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The overall idea of this project is to establish a permanent home of solace (Safe Haven) and healing for teen mothers and their babies, where they feel loved, not judged; where they get moral support and are educated about becoming self-reliant healthy mothers.
The specific objectives of Safe divine haven ministries Uganda are;
1.)To create awareness among the adolescent girls at risk of child marriage and teenage pregnancy in school and out of school for improved access, retention and performance of girl child in school in Soroti district.
2.)To advocate and support the teenage pregnancy victims through the courts of law to have the culprits face the law, and take responsibility of supporting the pregnant girls.
3.)To offer the girl child opportunity to develop their skills, through formal and non -formal education.
4.)To establish rehabilitation facility to render services such as; Psycho-social support, training, and alternative care shelter for homeless and teenage girls at risk.
5.)To develop a comprehensive framework to support safe re-entry of girls into school after pregnancy.
6.)To develop and support teenage girls at risk with confidential, private, respectful and culturally competent services, and complete information on health and Nutrition.
7.)To offer general psycho-social support for all girls at risk to create a confident life they lost.
8.)Strengthen the capacity of families and communities to provide psycho-social care and support for teenage girls preventive and curative measures to rebuild their self-esteem, dignity, and, resilience.
