By Kaya 959 Reporter
The Department of Social Development in Gauteng has launched a project to address bullying, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence.
Counsellors met with learners from schools around Sedibeng at the JC Kotze Hall to help find solutions for learners.
Social work manager Khumo Kgomoeswana says violence in schools, bullying and high statistics of teenage pregnancy is worrisome.
In September, Gauteng MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi revealed that girls as young as 10 became mothers between April 2020 and March 2021.
Girls between the ages of 10 to 14 years delivered 934 babies. Teenagers between the ages of 15 to 19 delivered 19 316 babies, while 2 976 girls between the ages of 10 and 19 years did a Choice on Termination of Pregnancy.
“In total there were 23 226 teenage pregnancies in Gauteng from April 2020 to March 2021,” she said.
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Strive for a better future
Kgomoeswana urged the 100 learners at the hall to strive for a better future.
While it is tricky, youngsters must refuse to fall into the trap of engaging in some acts, she says.
Kgomoeswana encourages young women to be brave enough to be themselves and not succumb to peer pressure.
Sharing her own life story, Kgomoeswana says she was teased and called boring for not having a boyfriend.
“I was brave enough to reject that notion and with that, I managed to get to the university at the age of 16 years and I encourage everyone of you to do that and I can assure you that it is possible,” said Kgomoeswana.
Social Work supervisor Patricia Malinga says they aim to continuously provide these youngsters with a platform where they can ventilate and share their challenges.
She says this also helps the department to come up with concrete solutions to their problems.
