“I was still grieving the death of my mother when I became pregnant at 17.
I had to drop out of school and my father reminded me every day how much he was disappointed in me.
Being a mother at such a young age destroyed my self-esteem as I wondered how I was going to take care of a child or have a future.”
Like Unashe, almost a quarter of girls in Zimbabwe become pregnant when they are teenagers.
This puts them at great risk of poverty, death in childbirth, HIV, child marriage, and turning to sex work to survive.
Thanks to your help, Shining Star's Teen Mum Programme supports young mothers who are at risk, mentoring them in parenthood while equipping them with credible career options and pathways back into education.
“My favourite thing about Shining Star is the parenting mentorship as I can now care effectively for my child’s wellbeing.
I learnt to accept my child as a gift from God, and that having a child does not mean I can no longer fulfil my dreams. I am still as capable as I was before.
They also taught me that my sexual reproductive health should be my priority.
I have a right to choose which birth control measure to use, and I now know how to protect myself from HIV.
Shining Star paid for my enrolment at West Gate College to do a Hotel and Catering course.
I am now on a placement at Simbisa Brands, a leading fast food establishment in Bulawayo.
I plan to do rewrite my O-level to acquire more subjects and run a small-scale business so I can take care of my day-to-day expenses.
Shining Star has taught me to take charge of my life and set goals and not base my worth on the judgment I get from society.”