UNICEF targets teenage mothers

A joint project between UNICEF and Leonenet Street Children’s Project (a US-registered charity wiuth a presence in Sierra Leone) has been launched to improve the quality of life for teenage mothers in the West African nation, the UN children’s agency said in its 25 -31 July situation report. Twenty-five teenage mothers are enrolled in the programme, which consists of basic numeracy, literacy, skills training and basic nutrition information. Another seven girls from a home run by the Catholic church with UNICEF support have been enrolled in a tailoring school and six in a hairdressing school, the report added. Bicycles to support child protection programmes UNICEF also reported that it has provided its regional office in the southern town of Bo with 70 bicycles for distribution to social workers in the Ministry of Social Welfare. This will improve supervision and monitoring of child protection programmes in the southern districts of Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba and Pujehun and in Kenema in the east. Five bicycles and 14 bales of used clothing were also sent to the Kenema Diocesan Development Organisation, UNICEF reported.