In Kissi in the Komenda Edina Equafo Abrem (KEEA) municipality of the Central Region, a queen mother is helping to build stronger and better family bonds.
This is translating into safer homes and reducing the many teenage pregnancies in the community. An influential traditional ruler and authority in Kissi, Nana Afua Badu II is spearheading better parent-adolescent communication and support. “At first, I blamed adolescents for their wrong sexual decisions. Now I blame parents because many parents don’t relate well with their adolescents. They only shout instructions at them. It is rooted in our culture. Both parents and children are shy to discuss sex and sexuality in general and that is where we all get it wrong. So far it has been great. I love the impact I am making,” she stated.
Nana Afua Badu at a ceremony to present sanitary pads to adolescents at Kissi
Nana Badu cited an instance when a girl got pregnant and the mother sent her to stay with the boy’s mother. “I ordered that the pregnant teenager be brought back home and had a conversation with the mother of the girl and the boyfriend’s mother on the need for the girl to return home. That same evening the girl was brought to her own mother. Months later the teenage mother was enrolled back in school.
“We get parents to talk to their adolescents to get them to open up. They talk about sexuality and this is preventing a lot of pregnancies,” the queen mother added. In case any girl gets pregnant, Nana Badu says, the parents are encouraged to support the girl to go back to school or learn a trade. “We have done a lot of education and this has had a lot of impact on the attitude and behaviour of parents in our community. Currently we have three girls in Junior High School who got pregnant but have re-enrolled to go back to school.
Recently, she said, the Ghana Health Service commended the leadership of the community for their efforts which they observed, had helped to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancies in the community.
Advocacy Network
Nana Afua Badu II says her unwavering commitment to building a better community of enhanced family relationships is stronger now more than ever thanks to the Community Parents Network Advocacy Group (COPNAG). COPNAG was established by the Department of Gender with support from and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Government of Canada to promote parental responsibility through community leadership by ensuring that parents were engaging their adolescents through enhanced communication.
At COPNAG meetings, parents are taught to understand the complexities of the adolescents’ needs and how parents could provide them physical, psychological and emotional support for their total growth and development.
Victoria’s story
Victoria Jackson, a resident of Kissi is a beneficiary of Nana Badu’s activities and corroborates Nana’s story. When Victoria got pregnant at age 17 while in second year of Senior High School (SHS), she was devastated and so were her parents. “My father was so angry he decided I should not continue my education. That was when Nana came in. She is a very good mother and very kind. She spoke to me and encouraged me that it was possible to go back to school. She also talked to my father and assured him that God will make all things work for our good,” she said.
With Nana Badu’s counsel and support Victoria went back to join her mates and completed her SHS education, and successfully wrote her Senior High School Certificate Examination (SSCE). She did well and is currently waiting to enter the Nurses Training College. “I want to take care of my baby this year and go to school in 2022. In fact, I owe a lot to Nana Badu. That woman is a very sympathetic and understanding. Nana, my queen, may you receive blessings and long life from God,” she added.
