Marvellous, VIDEO – EN version
Marvellous, now 18 years old, fell pregnant while still at school, to her own and her parents’ disappointment and shock. The COVID-19 lockdowns saw a surge in teen pregnancies in Zimbabwe, including in Mbare and Epworth where MSF runs its adolescent sexual and reproductive health programme and Teen Mums’ Club for girls just like Marvellous, who are stigmatised for their pregnancy and confronted by taboos and other barriers if they seek contraception or information, for example. Marvellous joined the Club and has gained knowledge about issues such as contraception, safe sex and childbirth which she now shares with other girls in her role as a peer educator.

"Médecins Sans Frontières started the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) project in 2015 in the Mbare suburb in Harare. The project provides a comprehensive SRH package of adolescent-friendly and free healthcare services that include access to contraception, HIV testing, counselling, sex education and treatment for sexually transmitted infections in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
The Teen Mums’ Club was established in 2020 in response to an increase in teen pregnancies during COVID-19 lockdowns. Developed by a team of midwives, counsellors, social workers and health promoters, the Club’s goal is to support pregnant teenagers to mitigate risks associated with early pregnancy, and to empower young mothers with knowledge about contraception and safe sex, pregnancy, safe delivery, parenthood, mental health and school and career prospects. The project also seeks to break down the societal barriers—including attitudes, taboos, and costly healthcare services—which make access to SRH care difficult for young mothers. "