There is a common misconception that feminism is about making women stronger. But here’s the truth—women have always been strong. The real challenge is changing how the world sees that strength.
This International Women’s Day (IWD), as the world celebrates women’s achievements, let us talk about a group often overlooked: teenage mothers. Their strength is not just about carrying life; it’s about carrying on with life, even when society often tells them they cannot. It is about rising up again, even when the odds are stacked against them.
Strength in the Everyday Battles
Strength is waking up at dawn—not to scroll through social media like most teenagers—but to soothe a crying baby and still find the energy to face the day. It is attending high school, some even primary school, or vocational training while juggling motherhood. It is walking into a room where people judge you before they hear your story—and choosing to stay anyway.
It is holding onto dreams that everyone assumes are out of reach. It is engaging in manual labor at 16 so that your child can have food, diapers, or even just a chance at a better future.
At Birth and Beyond, we see this strength every day. We see it in young mothers like Christine, who refused to let a teenage pregnancy define her. With training and mentorship, she now works in a salon, earning her own money and making her own choices. We see it in Jenny, who turned her passion for food into a business, proving that a baby in her arms doesn’t mean dreams in the grave. We see it in Maureen, who repairs cars—defying the circumstances that were thrust upon her and rewriting her own future.
Changing Perceptions, Not Just Circumstances
Teenage mothers are often met with pity, isolation, or worse—shame. They are told they have “ruined their future” or “made their bed, now lie in it.” But what if, instead of judgment, we offered support? What if we recognized their resilience instead of only seeing their mistakes?
What if, for a moment, we paused our judgment and instead offered empathy, understanding, and the recognition that mistakes do not define us but shape us?
At Birth and Beyond, we do not just provide mentorship or counseling—we create a safe space where young mothers are seen, heard, and valued. A space where they are reminded that their story does not end at teenage pregnancy. They are still girls with dreams, women with potential, and mothers with limitless love.
A Celebration of Strength—March 14th
This IWD, we are not just talking about strength; we are celebrating it. On Friday, March 14th, we will gather to honor the girls who have been part of our program—girls who have defied the odds, reclaimed their narratives, and chosen to live again.
They will share their stories—stories of resilience, of character, of dreams reborn. Stories that prove that teenage motherhood is not an ending but a turning point. As they speak of their journeys, they remind us all that strength is not just surviving—it is thriving.
And maybe, just maybe, someone in the audience will be inspired to stand with a girl, to walk alongside her, to be the reason she finds her way again.
Because Feminism is not about making women strong. It is about reminding the world that women have always been strong.
Happy International Women’s Day.
(Names have been changed for privacy)
Volunteer ( social media) with Birth and Beyond
