- Nompumelelo Zulu launched the Hope After Pain Women Empowerment Foundation to help young mothers who dropped out of school after giving birth.
- Teenage pregnancy remains a major concern in uMkhanyakude, where 20.4% of recorded births are to mothers younger than 20.
A rural KwaZulu-Natal woman is giving teenage mothers who dropped out of school after giving birth a second chance to chase their dreams.
Nompumelelo Zulu has launched the Hope After Pain Women Empowerment Foundation to help young mothers return to school, learn new skills and build a better future.
She introduced the foundation at a community gathering in kwaMadondo village, near Hlabisa in northern KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday.
Zulu said too many young girls give up on their education after falling pregnant and becoming mothers.
She wants them to know that having a baby does not mean the end of their dreams.
“Many young girls, when they give birth while still at high school, lose hope and quit their education,” said Zulu.
She said some young mothers stay at home struggling with depression and never try to return to school or learn new skills.
The foundation aims to help them regain their confidence and find opportunities through education and skills training.
Zulu said many young mothers also face difficult lives after their boyfriends abandon them, leaving them dependent on their families.
She warned that this could leave them vulnerable to gender-based violence.
Zulu also encouraged women to protect their health and avoid putting themselves at risk of diseases such as HIV.
She said the foundation would not only help teenage mothers but also older women who want to improve their lives through education and skills development.
Teenage pregnancy remains a serious concern in KwaZulu-Natal.
Figures from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health show 28,108 pregnancies among girls aged 15 to 19 and another 421 among children aged 10 to 14.
Research by the Human Sciences Research Council also found that 20.4% of recorded births in uMkhanyakude District were to mothers younger than 20, placing the district among the country’s hardest hit areas.
Zulu hopes her foundation will show young mothers that their future is not over because they have children.
Her message is simple: motherhood should not mean giving up on education, independence or a better life.
