With the rapid rise in teenage pregnancies in Namibia, The Zone asked Dawid Bezuidenhoudt High School learners what their views are.

Hondjaba Kaukungwa

I think it (falling pregnant) is a huge disadvantage, because it may lead to a lack of concentration and teenage girls dropping out. I believe that parents should be more supportive of their children during these difficult times.

Mbaunda Kazembungo

The impact of teenage pregnancy on the livelihoods of youth in society is catastrophic. It adds a ton of responsibility onto school kids, when they fall pregnant. They also have to make many life choices for which they might not be ready. Teenagers feel embarrassed and their self-esteem suffers.

Romeo Morkel

It is a very bad thing when teenagers fall pregnant, especially when they are in high school. Teen moms face a lot of mental as well as physical health problems that might be related to childbirth. There is so much stress, so teenagers need lot of education and support.

Jacques Smith

My view on teenage pregnancy is that it is extremely bad for both teenage girls and boys. Some of them will drop out after the birth of their child, and because they are still in school, they may not be able to be there for the child financially. The fact that their bodies are not matured yet could lead to stillbirths. Youth need to be educated.

Vivaldo Pascoal

This is a snowball effect. Teenage pregnancies lead to high school dropouts, which lead to poverty and unemployment. I cannot stress enough that youth have to be better educated and equipped. Kids drop out and miss opportunities and chances to be successful in life.

Mbakumua Karupa

This is one of the worst reasons why teenagers drop out of school. In most cases they are unable to further their studies. Teenage pregnancies are the biggest cause of unemployment, because often young mothers don’t go back to school, leaving them unemployed and having to support their children.

Innocent Elrakim

Teenage pregnancy has a lot of negative effects on girls. It causes a lot of financial problems, which lead to depression. These kids also drop out of school, which is never a good thing for anyone. All these things break a person down.

Maria Negumbo

Teenage pregnancy is a very stressful experience; once the baby arrives, the parents of the teenager usually take care of everything.

This is not always the case. Some parents kick their children out. People always get discriminated against and are called names. They may commit suicide, as a result to their problems.

Albertha Berends

This epidemic has many negative effects on the teenage mother, as well as the newborn baby. This can result in baby dumping, abortions and family problems. Kids will need all the support and love they can get. Lives are lost, because the thought of dealing with the pressure is simply too much.

Silvia Cloete

A girl that falls pregnant is both physically and mentally affected. There is also a big chance of dropping out of school and this automatically limits her from exploring a lot of opportunities, including furthering her studies.

Gorgeous Shetukana

Teenage pregnancy is caused by having a low self-esteem. The youth are not secure in who they are, so they turn to things like sex in order to fit in with other young people. Teenage mothers might turn to sex work or dump their babies, because of a lack of income.

Grace Mumbela

Teenagers face huge backlash for falling pregnant. They face rejection from their parents and that makes them feel vulnerable and unwanted. They also lose the financial support they previously had and this leaves them in a tight situation. Remember, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.