Community steps in to support teen mom and baby

In Aliba Village, Bijo Subcounty, Uganda, a 15-year-old girl, Shamim Atoma, and her newborn baby faced a difficult situation when they were evicted from their home in November 2024. Anuwari Onzima Musa, a Village Health Team (VHT) member, locked the doors of the huts, leaving Shamim and her day-old infant out in the cold. Musa claimed his nephew, the baby's father, had left home long ago, and therefore, Shamim had no right to be there.

Concerned community members reported the incident to the police, who promptly arrested Musa. A meeting was then convened, bringing together key stakeholders from the subcounty, including the Community Development Officer, police, a health assistant, the Probation Officer, the Senior Assistant Chief Administrative Officer (SACAO), and a representative from Plan International.

The group discussed Shamim's plight, and following the meeting, Musa was fined one million shillings, which was given to Shamim to support her and the baby. Shamim was then placed in the care of her father while receiving psychosocial support from the Community Development Officer.

This incident highlights the challenges faced by young mothers in the West Nile Region of Uganda. The region, like much of Uganda, has a large youth population, presenting both an opportunity and a challenge. While this demographic could be a powerful engine for development, issues like teenage pregnancy, often leading to school dropouts and forced marriage, threaten to undermine this potential.

Yumbe District has a high rate of teenage pregnancies and teen mothers. One in five households in the district has recorded a case of teenage pregnancy or child motherhood since 2015. The District Health Management Information system (HMIS Report April 2022) reveals that from 2020 to 2022 show over 8,232 teenage girls between the ages of 10 and 19 became pregnant.

Despite the challenges, positive change is possible. In another instance in Kena village, Olukenga Parish, a para-social worker shared a story during a dialogue on violence against children. A woman who gave birth to a child with a disability was abandoned by her husband, who considered her “bad luck.” However, through dialogues on violence against children, which the husband attended, he was touched by the messages shared. Combined with home visits and psychosocial support from the para-social worker, religious leaders, and local councils, the couple reconciled and are now living together happily.

Shamim, like the woman in Kena village, received much-needed support. After being cared for by her parents, she will be eligible for skills development programs. The community’s intervention in Shamim’s case, along with the reconciliation of the family in Kena village, demonstrates the power of community action and support in addressing these complex issues and creating a brighter future for vulnerable children and families.

A Woman in Yumbe benefitted from community PSS services by CDO, Para social workers, cultural and religious leaders in reconciliation to her husband who had separated from her due giving birth to a disabled child. The two parents now committed to taking care of their disabled child.