AmaCares @Kwamang: Queen mother worried over teenage pregnancy in community

Nana Adjoa Gyamfuah Amonu II, queen mother of Sekyere-Kwamang in the Ashanti region, has expressed worry over the incessant cases of teenage pregnancy in her community.

According to her, despite the education given teenagers on the issue, it does appear several of them have fallen victims to the canker.

“The rate at which teenagers get pregnant here is worrisome. We have done and said a lot to prevent it but we are not making headway,” she said.

The queen mother made this statement when AmaCares, a non-profit organization that advocates against child sexual abuse, paid a courtesy call on her ahead of a scheduled workshop for some schools at Sekyere-Kwamang.

“I’m glad you came. It’s my prayer that your toil will not be in vain. I crave your indulgence to reiterate the effects of teenage pregnancy to them,” she added.

On behalf of the team, Benedicta Ama Batcho, Founder and CEO of AmaCares suggested that the call is in line with her organisation’s aim, considering the fact that some teenagers get pregnant after being subjected to sexual abuse.

She intimidated that these victims or survivors are not physically and mentally prepared to go through the maternal cycle, a situation which compounds the sorrows of the abused.

Ms. Batcho further underscored the need for intensive public education in the quest to raise awareness and deal with child sexual abuse. Aside the advocacy, AmaCares, she says, has counsellor and doctors who have accepted to provide counsel and treatment to survivors.

Benedicta Ama Batcho with Nana Adjoa Gyamfuah Amonu II

The team later engaged some basic and junior high schools at Sekyere-Kwamang in the workshop.

They included Seventh Day Adventist Junior High School, District Assembly Junior High School, Anglican Junior High School, Presbyterian Junior High School and Kwamang Senior High School.

The students were educated on how to avoid sexual predators as well as the need to report abusers.