"The aim of education should be to teach a child to think, not what to think." (John Dewey)

Some Statistics about Adolescent Girls:

• 33% of girls 15-19 years of age are married.

• 58% of adolescent girls have commenced childbearing.

• 23% of married 15-19 yrs old girls have second order of birth.

• As many as 55% are illiterate in this group.

• 47% of adolescent mothers have Low Birth Weight babies.
  To improve on these horrendous statistics, we need to increase awareness in both the adolescent boys and girls.

Adolescent data for 2007:

Adolescent Girl’s Project:

• Health Education to 23 groups, totaling 248 girls received Education regarding Health and Hygiene.

• Health check up and counseling in 7 groups, totaling 110 girls.

• Sessions regarding Health and Hygiene were conducted in 6 local High Schools.

• Health check up and counseling with Hemoglobin, Sickle cell anemia survey and blood groups in 3 schools – 216 girls. (One of these girls has been detected to have Rheumatic Heart Disease and is being treated and followed up for surgery in the future.)

• Sewing classes: Two new classes completed 6 months training. Fifty girls completed their 6 months sewing course and received certificates for that. Many of them have applied for loans to procure a sewing machine. .

Adolescent Boys Project:

• In addition, similar Education classes were conducted for 53 boys of 4 study groups that have been formed for them. .

• Health Check up and counseling including Hemoglobin, Sickle Cell anemia evaluation, MMR and Hepatitis B vaccination in 2 groups – total 26 boys.