Community Model for Fostering Health and Wellbeing for Adolescent Mothers and Their Children

We will provide psychosocial support (PSS) and skills training to marginalized married girls, adolescent mothers and pregnant girls in Malawi to improve their own wellbeing and their babies’ health. PSS will assist adolescents to develop resilience and manage stress caused by poverty, forced marriage, gender based violence, unwanted pregnancies and social stigma. We will empower them with parenting skills, nutritional care, child care and stimulation so that they can develop strong bonds with their infants and improve early brain development within the first 1000 days of the baby’s life. We will work closely with Community Health Workers to ensure access to health services and the Malawi College of Medicine. PSS and health education skills training will be offered by trained YWCA Coordinators, Adolescent Mothers Champions and health workers. Weekly group sessions with adolescent mothers will be conducted. Babies’ health and progress will be monitored through Babies' Health Passports.