Being a teen mom is difficult. The responsibility of raising a child at a young age can put her life on hold as early as the start of pregnancy. Good news is the Likhaan Center for Women’s Health, Inc. in collaboration with [email protected] has founded the Dalagang Ina Scholarship or Teen Mom Scholarship Program.
These groups of women aim to empower women about their reproductive and sexual rights and awareness of their sexual reproductive health. The fund of the scholarship is through The Equity Initiative.
As per the survey of the POPCOM or the Commission on Population and Development, around 530 teen girls get pregnant daily since 2017. Over the past two decades, the Philippines has an increasing percentage of teen pregnancy as reported by the United Nations Fund. It includes most of the teen moms in the poverty threshold. NEDA said young mothers may lose Php24 to Php47 billion in their potential annual earnings. It affects not only the education but also their incomes.
Through the Dalagang Ina Scholarship, a teen mom can enroll vocational course. The scholarship covers the tuition fees, allowance, and financial support for the baby. Fifteen qualified young mothers can enroll vocational course offered by the Technical Education and Skill Development Authority or TESDA. Courses include unisex haircutting or massage, baking, beauty care, barista, and hotel and restaurant management.
The materials and assessment fees are also free. The scholars will take the assessment exam after completing the course. After passing the test, they can get the certification. The founder of the Dalagang Ina Scholarship is also working with the Public Employment Service Office for the job placement of the scholars.
They conceptualized the scholarship program in 2018 by the Equity Initiative. Before they offer the scholarship, the people behind it study everything about the project and how to implement it. Through proper funding, the founder hopes that they can sustain the program and offer more slots.
The Dalagang Ina Scholarship program is open to teen moms of Tondo, Manila. The young mother must be 18 to 25 years old and the child is below five years old. {source}