Enam with other dignitaries at the event
The first runner-up of the 2019 edition of TV3’s Ghana’s Most Beautiful reality show, Anita Enam Bossoh, has launched her foundation to help reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy in Ghana.
The Enam Foundation, which was launched at Stevens Hotel in Ho on Friday, is to campaign against teenage pregnancy so as to promote Sustainable Development Goals 3 & 4.
The Volta regional representative of 2019 Ghana’s Most Beautiful pageant disclosed that she was saddened after seeing tabulated results of teenage pregnancy cases in the country.
She made a firm commitment to help reduce the high rate of teenage pregnancy, especially in the Volta Region.
Launching the Enam Foundation, the guest speaker, Prof. John Gyapong, Vice Chancellor of University of Health & Allied Sciences (UHAS), stated that the aims and goals of the foundation would be fulfilled.
In his lecture, he mentioned that the main causes of teenage pregnancy are irresponsible parents, lack of attention and affection from parents, bad company and peer pressure, poverty, illiteracy and ignorance.
According to Prof. Gyapong, teenage pregnancy is concentrated among those with less education, the unemployed, unmarried and those with inadequate antenatal care and obstetric risks for poor pregnancy outcome.
He advised that the foundation in addressing this social canker should increase the advocacy and awareness campaign using both modern and traditional means to reach out to vulnerable teenage girls.
The special guest of honour and chairman for the launch, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, and Madam Dzifa Gomashie expressed their total support for the foundation.
“I’m so happy to be part of this foundation just because Enam made us all very proud. I don’t like to associate myself with beauty pageants too much except where there is a focus beyond what you look like and to me that is the reason I want to associate myself with her brand (Enam Foundation),” Dzifa Gomashie noted and announced an essay competition among students in the Volta Region as part of activities for the Enam Foundation.
The winner of the teenage pregnancy essay competition would be awarded an Ipad.
The foundation, as part of its aims and objectives, would use the education and awareness drive and collaborate with health directorates across the country (Ghana Health Service) and Ghana Education Service (GES) for more awareness campaign at school and community levels.
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion were the Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Prosper Pi-Bansah, a representative from the office of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, traditional rulers and others.