Wilhelmina Iimene
Teenage pregnancy due to poor or no sex education, absence from school because of a lack of sanitary pads, and peer pressure are some challenges many school girls face daily.
Numerous girls with such difficulties find it hard to open up to their parents or teachers for fear of being judged, shamed into silence or disowned. This, in turn, makes their personal and academic lives tough, and many fall victim to dropping out of school.
It is for these reasons that Ruusa Uugwanga started Girl Get Up in 2021.
Based in the Onanona village in the Ohangwena region, the foundation programme targets to improve young girls’ lives in rural schools by offering them guidance in making wise life decisions, amongst other
things.
“Girl Get Up creates a safe space for teenage girls to own their voices and speak up on matters that are affecting them. It assures them that someone is listening to their problems and cares for their wellbeing, and is willing to make their lives easier,” she told Youth Corner.
Uugwanga, who is a teacher at the Onanona Combined School (CS), empowers young girls by mentoring them through hosting workshops at different schools. These workshops include sex education and how to avoid teenage pregnancy. In addition, she donates sanitary pads to the girls with the aim of keeping the girl-child in school.
She has thus far helped over 20 girls at the Onanona CS and Kauluma CS in the Ongula village of the same region.
Uugwanga hopes to reach out to more schools, because she feels there is still a lot to be done in terms of empowering young girls.