Most see the Bahamas as a perfect little paradise, but we have acquired our share of social ills. According to the Bahamas PACE Foundation, teenage pregnancy is the most significant among them. P.A.C.E. is the acronym for Providing Access to Continued Education. The Foundation is supported by non-governmental and voluntary organizations and the government of The Bahamas with two Ministries (namely the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, and the Ministry of Health, and Social Development) having responsibilities for education, health, and social well being of the teen mothers.
Despite best efforts, teen pregnancy continues to be a major issue in our society with the consequences having significant impact on our communities and the country in general. Statistics gathered by the PACE Foundation show that, in The Bahamas, on average less than 40% of first time teen mothers and less than 35% of all teen mothers enroll each year in the intermediary program that makes reentry to high school possible.
Pregnancy in adolescents often results in serious medical complications, and sexual relationships at a young age can put teens at risk of life threatening sexually transmitted diseases. According to the Pace website, national HIV/AIDS statistics reveal that girls aged 15-19 were the fastest growing group of reported cases. Additionally, these girls were more likely to be infected than boys, with girls representing 69.4% of reported cases in this age group.
Corporate sponsor Doctors Hospital recently continued its commitment to service within the Bahamian community with a check presentation to the PACE Foundation to assist with the operating cost of the Centre. Doctors Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Charles Sealy and Michele Rassin, Vice President Operations were on hand for the check presentation.
Formed by the Zonta Club of Nassau, over the years, PACE has provided assistance to more than 3,000 teenage mothers, helping them to complete high school thus ensuring them a better chance of breaking the cycle of poverty and hopelessness. For more information about how you can help to address the problem of teen pregnancy and to learn more about the Bahamas PACE Foundation, logon to www.pacebahamas.org.
