Timor-Leste’s Teen Mothers Desperate to Return to School

When my family found out that I was pregnant, my uncle, a teacher at my school, asked my parents to take me out of school. If I continued my studies then I would have embarrassed my school,” says 18-year-old Juliana, who became pregnant at the age of 15.

Unmarried, Juliana lives with her parents in a remote part of Aileu district, just south of Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste. Her daugher is now 2 years old, and Juliana is expecting a second child. Her biggest regret? Not finishing school.

“I don’t have the opportunity anymore to develop myself like other young people. I just stay at home and give my time to my children," she says.

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Plan International's VLSA loan aids teen mother

Denise has a daughter named Sandrine who is three-years-old. She got pregnant unexpectedly at 19, while she was still in school.

“I wasn’t expecting to get pregnant. I met someone and then, because I was poor and didn’t have enough money to support myself or buy the things that I needed, I got pregnant. We were neighbors –he was older than me, about 25 years old. When I found out about the pregnancy I asked him to support me, but he didn’t have enough money."

“I was rejected by my family because it was a disgrace for them. I was living with my mother and I gave birth there, but then I moved into my aunt’s home with my baby. I got involved in the loans program because people were talking about a local NGO who was helping young people to get out of poverty."

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