In Sierra Leone, the reality for adolescent girls is often dictated by tradition over potential. According to the 2019 Sierra Leone Demography and Health Survey, 22.1% of girls aged 15–19 have begun childbearing, and 30% marry before age 18.
In the community of Kadanka, these statistics were a lived reality where girls were dropping out of school at alarming rates due to poverty, religious misconceptions, and a deep-seated belief that “a girl’s place is in the kitchen. Among those left behind were Kiddo Conteh (11) and Yeabu Sesay (15), both of whom had been out of school for two years because their parents refused to fund an education they believed would be a “wasted resource” once the girls married.
A Multi-Dimensional Intervention
In 2021, the UNFPA-funded End Child Marriage Project launched a holistic strategy to dismantle these barriers: Through these combined efforts, the community gradually witnessed a transformation. Dialogue sessions sparked new hope, as parents began to envision alternative futures for their daughters—ones built on education and independence rather than early marriage. In addition, awareness-raising activities on the GEWE Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act educated community members about the penalties associated with early marriage, contributing to a reduction in school dropouts, early marriages, and teenage pregnancies. As a result of these interventions, once-skeptical elders, moved by testimonies and legal enlightenment, began championing these changes, becoming powerful advocates for girls’ rights.
Education enables a woman to balance her responsibilities with meaningful work, proving that investing in a girl is an investment in the entire community’s future.
As a result, the atmosphere shifted from resignation to optimism, and girls like Kiddo and Yeabu stepped confidently into a world that was finally beginning to open its doors to them. Community Dialogue: Regular meetings with stakeholders and influential leaders acted as an “eye-opener,” shifting the narrative from tradition to the socio-economic benefits of girls’ education.
Kiddo and Yeabu resumed their studies and are now in Class 6 and SS1, respectively. Beyond academics, their transformation is internal. Both girls have emerged as self-aware and confident leaders. Their parents, once resistant, are now practitioners of positive parenting, actively encouraging their daughters’ ambitions.
Kiddo and Yeabu are no longer just students; they are role models. Their presence in school is a living testimony that has inspired other families in Kadanka to reconsider their stance on education. The community has seen a noticeable reduction in teenage pregnancies and school dropouts.
