NPO tackles teenage pregnancies
A local NPO empowers women and provides education on sensitive issues such as teenage pregnancy.
FOLLOWING the recent discovery of a foetus in Pinetown, the Dignity Centre, a local NPO and mobile pregnancy crisis centre, has urged young women to seek advice and support when faced with teenage pregnancy.
“We were quite shocked to read about the foetus that was found in a public restroom. We realised that we still have a lot of information to share with regards to teenage pregnancies. Our primary aim is to urge young women to preserve life, and to tell them that alternative options are available. There are people willing to help,” said Grace Goeda, founder of the Dignity Centre.
Dedicated volunteers of the organisation strive to educate young women (Grade 3 to Grade 12) on sensitive and stigmatised subjects, such as teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, rape, alcohol and drug abuse as well as verbal, physical and emotional abuse.
According to Goeda, the mobility of the clinic allows the organisation to travel to the schools where they share their knowledge and empower young women. The Dignity Centre also provides counselling to young women who have been raped or abused, or are faced with teenage pregnancy.
Goeda said 58 300 teenage pregnancies were reported in South Africa during 2012, and statistics show that an average of 29 foetuses are aborted every hour in KwaZulu-Natal alone.
The body of the foetus, that was wrapped in a plastic bag and dumped in the restrooms of the Norlane Centre in Pinetown, was discovered by a cleaner on Friday 7 March.
Contact Goeda 074 238 8948 or Faith Gumede on 073 318 6008.
