In Uganda poverty is a big struggle for most of the people. One
way the people of Uganda are making a source of income is by offering their
teenage daughters to gain from the bride price. Herbert Matskio, a peer
educator with the Reproductive Health Uganda says "They (the parents) have
turned their daughters into a source of income generation." With the
daughters being offered during the teenage years the result has been a rise of
teenage pregnancies. The number of child mothers in the Kanungu district of
Uganda is startling. To see a mother as young as 15 is not uncommon. The
district of Kanugu is reported to have one of the highest teenage pregnancies
rates in Uganda. Since these girls are being sold for a good bride price, they
are usually sold to older men. Matskio, like stated before is a peer educator
with the Reproductive Health Uganda, and his mission is to educate about the
dangers of teenage pregnancy and being a young mother.
Article from New Vision goes on to discuss how HIV and AIDS are
also involved in this problem. Also it explains how the RHU is working to get
more aid into Uganda. I am glad there is more attention being brought to this
increasing problem. As I have said in an early post as a Health Promotion
major, I am very concerned about these types of problems. Teenage pregnancies
is something that needs to be addressed all over the world and I am happy to
see some parts really taking initiative on this issue.
Here is the full article.
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