The Hope Center (Phase I) –  opening in Jan 2013

The mission and vision of the Hope Center mirrors those of Positioned with Purpose on an international level.  The Hope Center will be located in Accra, Ghana.  Participants will be young mothers ages 14-19.   We will provide clothing, diapers, food, toys, furniture and similar items for the babies.  The teens will also have access to daily, one on one counseling.   The three Empowerment Zones are Education, Health and Wellness and Self-Esteem.

The Hope Center will also offer a BASIC CHRISTIAN TEACHING EMPOWERMENT INSTITUTE course.  The curriculum will be taken from by Basic Christian Teaching Made Plain and Clear by Darla Wisler.  The course will last for 12 weeks and it is designed to be an introduction to Jesus, to establish the basic foundation of Bible truth for new believers and to encourge Christians who are mature in the faith.
The Hope House (Phase II) – opening in 2015

What is The Hope House?
The Hope House will be a transitional home for 15-20 young mothers and their babies. Participants will live onsite for 9 months. We provide a structured program to support these young ladies during this critical time in their lives. During the program period, each mother will discover hope.

Hope is defined as the emotional state which promotes the belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one’s life. To sum it up, hope means to expect with confidence.

Teen pregnancy calls for the attention of Ghanians
The Western region of Ghana recorded 572 teenage pregnancies with girls as young as 10 years old becoming pregnant and dropping out of schools. In the Ashanti Region, at least 5 girls have sat their BECE while pregnant and a minimum of 3 have entered and written their papers as mothers. The average age of these girls is 12. The statistics are much higher and worrisome in other regions of Ghana.

Unfortunately, female teenagers who become pregnant are blamed solely for their condition. One would think that the girls got pregnant by themselves. They are seen as “bad girls” and are typically scorned by society. Instead of offers of support, they receive punishment for their mistakes. Some girls are kicked out of their homes while others endure constant ridicule. In recent news, a mother in the Northern region butchered her 22 year old pregnant daughter. Murder suddenly becomes less of a crime in the eyes of a disappointed mother who sees her daughter as a disgrace.

Teenage births compose a high percentage of the total births in Ghana. Poor education about sexual and reproductive health rights is wrecking the lives of many girls in this country.  After giving birth, many girls are not able to continue their education.

Teen Pregnancy Statistics
The central part of Ghana has a high teen pregnancy rate. Commissions have taken steps to overcome such problems, but the results are mixed and often poor.
809 teen pregnancies involving 14-19 year olds were recorded in 2008.
8 out of 15 girls were pregnant from the sexual relationship from the same age group beginning at age 15.
8 out of 15 girls are aware of birth control methods; however, only 1 or 2 of them actually used a method during sex.
Approximately 40% of teen pregnancies result in an unsafe abortions.

The director of the Hope Center and the Hope House  is Ms. Irene Tumawoo – Email: irenepwpghana@gmail.com.