At least 500 young mothers aged 15-24 years in Magarini, Kilifi county, have benefitted from economic empowerment and sexual reproductive health education.
The programme, called Binti Biashara is being implemented by Population Services Kenya, Maverric Next and the Kilifi health department.
It has introduced ways to help young women make decisions about their bodies, finances and education.
Teenage pregnancy in most rural parts of Kilifi county has been a serious problem affecting the social, economic and educational lives of girls.
PSK senior manager Nancy Njoki said more than 3,000 young women have been enrolled in the programme and 500 have been economically empowered.
She said about 48 per cent of young mothers how have an income and 79 per cent are able to contribute directly to their families’ economic welfare.
Njoki said Binti Biashara has linked 431 young mothers to community-based mentors to be trained in hotels, beauty shops, hair salons and tailoring, while 58 others are linked to TVET institutions to receive vocational training.
She was speaking to the media during a feedback meeting held by PSK and stakeholders from Kilifi county health department.
Kilifi County Maternal Neonatal Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health coordinator Ken Miriti said there has been an increase in young women receiving sexual reproductive health services in the facilities, thus reducing unwanted pregnancies.
He said most teenage pregnancies are as a result of vulnerability factors existing among young women in the region.
He lauded the programme, saying empowering young women directly prevents them from transitional sexual intercourse that mostly leads to unwanted pregnancies.
Miriti said younger women in Kilifi are now using long-term family planning methods to prevent pregnancy.
He said that more than 74 per cent of men are cooperating with their female partners to use family planning methods.
Edited by A.N
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