Digital Action Campaign Narrative

Bestspring Foundation- Nigeria, through its Girls Arise Initiative is set to launch a powerful and proactive online campaign to build awareness on the plight of adolescent mothers and voice demand for society to give them a second chance to be empowered through education and skill acquisition.

My campaign seeks to bring to the front burners the difficult issues young mothers face as a result of stigmatization. The goal of the campaign is to collect the stories of women who were left to fend for themselves as teen mothers with emphasis on the problems they faced, the help they wish they had and to highlight ways in which their lives would have been different if they had received the support from family and community instead of being castigated and condemned.

My campaign will be launchedonline through Facebook as this is one of the most popular social media platforms to reach my target audience and offline through grassroot outreaches and engagement with teenage mothers and their children.

Firstly, I havecreated a Facebook group page for Girls Rights advocates/fans and invited friends to like the page. The facebook page is tagged, Girls Arise Initiative. Iwill push for followershipthrough this medium andthese will bepeople that are very passionate about safeguarding the rights of the girl-child, especially teen mothers. In addition, I have created a platform for support system for friendship and mentorship so they can be guided to rebuild their lives and be empowered through skill acquistion. Here we meet every month to share and learn.

I have just launched a blog to highlight my day-to-day interactions with girls anddiscuss ourshared experiences through online media. To link up with our blog, log on to www.girlsarise.blogspot.com.ng

Activities of the Adolescent mothers club are mostly shared on my worldpulse campaign platform

Secondly, I will spread awareness by creating Posters with powerful quotes garnered from respected voices and eminent/international girls’ rights activists that have spoken on this subject in the past. These posters will be published on our Facebook pageregualrly and it will be backed with posers and questions for online interactive discussion. In addition, I will create short video clips around this thematic area and post same on the facebook page.

Thirdly, there will be call for adolescent mothers that have suffered one form of rejection, abuse and stigmatization or the other to share their experiences in form of stories. The call will be advertised through the resource page of World Pulse, through my personal Facebook page and many likeminded friends will also be tagged so that the information can spread to their contacts as well. I will also network with other partner NGOs and CSOs with special interest in the girl-child and use their platforms to spread this awareness and call for stories.

Fourthly, we will seek the permission of writers to share some of these touching stories on our Facebook page and through this medium engage our online followers and fans in soul-stirring and awareness campaign and advocacy for a better treatment for adolescent mothers.

Again, the stories, which are expected to be submitted within two months via email to girlsariseinitiative@gmail.com will be collated and submitted for a specially arranged Essay Competition, especially if written by young mothers aged 14-18. The stories will be passed unto a team of Girls Mentors/Advocates for assessment. It is expected that award winning stories for the campaign will not just tell the story of pain and anguish experienced as a teenage mother but also proffer suggested solutions to the problems faced by these women and how relevant stakeholders (government, educators, legislators, community leaders, parents etc) can assist adolescent mothers to nurture their potentials.

Lastly, those that emerge winners of the essay competition will be celebrated as Inspirational Storyteller and at a Public Presentation/Award Ceremony, which will thereafter be published online through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter platform with the hashtag #SecondChanceForAdolescentMothers.

The entire awareness campaign has a six month timeline. This is the first step in reaching the ultimate goal of demanding for the inclusion of these women in the educational system through alternative school arrangement or the provision of safe space that allows them to acquire necessary life skills and be able to earn income.

How to Get Involved

Join us to voice support for teenage mothers to rise above the cloud of rejection and dare to dream again. Send your inspirational stories (maximum of 400 words) of trauma and triumph; the stories of storm and solution; be an advocate for young mothers. We welcome your stories from every part of Nigeria, and the world! Send your stories to girlsariseinitiative@gmail.com

Join the uprising! Like our Facebook page http://facebook.com/girlsariseinitiative

Also log on to our blog www.girlsarise.blogspot.com.ng to read the inspiring stories of our day-to-day activities.

Log on to our websites for more information about our work www.bestspringfoundation.org  & www.goshenhome.org

A girl’s life and dreams should not come to a halt because she got pregnant while in school. Let’s unite and give her a second chance to build see her dream come true! Follow us on twitter #SecondChanceForAdolescentMothers

We need you! Please help us help our young mothers begin again! Join the online train of changemakers! Spark the fire of Newness! Spread the message of Hope! We love you!!!