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.
00:00:00 – 00:03:01
Those who discuss condoms or the benefits are labelled as prostitutes or having loose morals.
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Epworth, Zimbabwe
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Parents would beat them up then kick them out
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saying they should find freedom elsewhere.
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My name is Marvellous, I live in an area called Reuben.
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In our community it is taboo for a girl
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of school-going age to fall pregnant.
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It is humiliating and shameful for the girl’s family.
[SPEAKER: Jacqueline, Marvellous’ mother]
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I was disappointed because I had just paid school fees
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Jacqueline Nzenza
Marvellous’ mother
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and bought school uniforms for her.
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I asked my mother for advice and she told me that
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Marvellous had run off in fear of being beaten by me.
[SPEAKER: Marvellous]
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I did not know what to do or who to turn to.
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MSF held an outreach programme in our community,
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and they handed me a flyer as they told me how MSF could assist young girls in my situation.
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They referred me to Edith Clinic in Mbare.
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After this, I realised I was not alone and that there was a Teen Mums Club with many people in my predicament.
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My life has changed for the better because I am now well informed.
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I would have taken protective measures to avoid falling pregnant
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[but] I was uniformed, because this topic is taboo to discuss in our community.
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Marvellous now works as a Peer Educator with MSF, sharing information about contraception, safe childbirth and sexual health with other girls in her community.
[SPEAKER: Jacqueline, Marvellous’ mother]
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I am incredibly happy that she is proud
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of what she is doing to help others, and sharing project ideas.
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It is encouraging to see her happy as she was always miserable.
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She is now completely able to look after and raise her baby without any challenges.