Lack of knowledge leads to high rate of teenage pregnancies [1]
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - 17:53. Updated on Thursday, September 20, 2018 - 09:41.
An Adolescent Girls Sexual Awareness Program that runs until December, has reached 100 adolescents girls in Tongatapu and 'Eua.
Talitha Project Director, Vanessa Heleta said they have been conducting sessions on sexual reproductive health and rights to adolescent girls after school in their communities, with the goal to equip them with the knowledge on how their bodies work.
She said it is important for the girls to be aware that when they do reach puberty they are able to have children.
"The changes in human body should be a general knowledge and should be embraced because its natural and beautiful but we don't talk to girls about it and this is why they are lots of teenage pregnancies, because of the lack of knowledge.”
Talitha has partnerships with the communities through youth leaders, women's groups and district nurses have reached girls aged 10-14 in Vaini, Nukunuku, Nuku'alofa area and Angaha in 'Eua.
The program funded by UNFPA and the Ministry of Health started in August is a collaboration between Talitha and the Tonga Family Health Association (TFHA).
Talitha also released stats on Tonga's Teenage Pregnancy compiled in a Vital Statistics Exercise by the Ministry of Health.