Wakila is building a successful business and is providing for her family after joining a savings group and learning key financial skills.
When Wakila fell pregnant at the age of 15 and had to drop out of school, her world turned upside down and left her dreams of becoming a nurse in tatters. “At that time, I was terrified of becoming a mother because it’s a big responsibility. The father of my child did not want to take care of me.”
In Benin 1 in 4 girls give birth before the age of 18, risking their health and that of their babies as often they do not have access to the medical care needed to safely deliver their babies. In addition, most young mothers have to leave school to take care of their newborns.
Financial knowledge boosts families
After giving birth to her daughter, Wakila joined a microfinance project run by Plan International with funding from the German government (BMZ) in Benin’s Atacora department. The project supports girls who have dropped out of school early to improve their financial knowledge, savings behaviours and help them back into education or paid employment.
“Thanks to the loans from my savings group, my business is thriving, I am now earning a living and my child is going to school.”
Wakila
Savings groups provide girls with a platform to learn about the dangers of child marriage and teenage pregnancy and discover how they can break cycles of poverty. Through the group, Wakila was able to take out a loan to open her own shop selling cosmetics. She also received support and guidance from the other group members who helped her overcome any difficulties she faced getting her business off the ground.
“It’s thanks to the savings group that my daughter was able to start her cosmetics business. She can now afford to pay for the needs of her child who has now been enrolled in school,” says Salamatou, Wakila’s mother.
Leading change
Now a member of the savings group management committee where she serves as secretary, Wakila, 23, has taken part in several training workshops to learn advocacy and leadership skills and has become a valuable member of the group, often helping to run awareness raising sessions herself.
“Wakila gets involved in the various awareness activities run by the project. She is one of the girl-mothers who understands contraceptive methods and helps us with our awareness-raising activities on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people in her community,” explains project facilitator Anifa.
“By raising girls’ awareness about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, protecting them from abuse and connecting them with education and health services, we can support the key decisions they make about their futures and bodies,” added Anifa.
“Thanks to the loans from my savings group, my business is thriving, I am now earning a living and my child is going to school,” Wakila says.
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