October 23, 2015
Changemakers in Cape Town: Inspiring the Next Generation of Women
In South Africa, one in every three girls has had a baby by the time they turn 20 (LoveLife, HIV Campaign). The health department has continually attributed these statistics to a lack of sex education and AIDS awareness. However, despite a decade of pouring money on awareness campaigns, in 2007, the Department of Education found that pregnancy rates had doubled. These statistics are particularly prevalent at Cape Town's Garlandale High School, where about 20 of the 400+ girls at the school are mothers. In an attempt to target this problem, we redirected the cause of these rates to be indicative of a lack of ambition among the girls of Garlandale High School, most of whom cannot see their lives beyond the poverty that pervades their communities. As a solution, we therefore hosted events in conjunction with local organizations to help inspire the girls at the school to finish their education, child-free and to aspire to more.
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