September 1, 2016 By Joseph S. Margai
Eugenia Jarrett (left): advocating transformation of the lives of teenage girls in Sierra Leone
Media Director of Children Media Foundation, Eugenia Jarrett, has informed Concord Times in an exclusive interview that her organisation was set to release a movie titled ‘Teenage Life.’
She said the movie focuses on teenage pregnancy and teenage mothers and how they should be given hope.
“Despite being impregnated while going to school, they could still go to school and they should not be marginalised by their peers and teachers,” she said.
She said the movie would help people know that lack of parental care and attention, teenage poverty, internal conflict in the country, and peer pressure were some of the causes of teenage pregnancy.
“The movie tells people how they should give hope to victims of teenage pregnancy so that they would continue their schooling. They should also not be shy to go to school. Their colleagues should not humiliate them in school and the government and institutions have a role to play to discourage teenage pregnancy,” she explained.
She said the movie would also inform people that child labour was taking place homes and communities, adding that it would explain how some people pretend to be guardians to some children but abuse them at the end.
“In the movie, parents are made to understand that education is the best gift for a child. It explains the plights of single parentage and the struggle to ensure that the child’s future is secured,” she told Concord Times.
She added that parents should take the responsibility to be communicating with their children about their future.
Examination malpractice, she said, was another thing that the movie focuses on, as most students spend more time with their phone than their studies, adding that they should give time to their studies.
She said the movie talks about the lives of children in slum communities.
Eugenia Jarrett disclosed that the foundation was established in 2012 by Saidu Paul Kamara with the aim of informing the public about the welfare of children.
“It was also established to create a platform to give voice to voiceless children in the country. The organisation donated food and used clothes to flood victims last year September. We did a TV/radio program called ‘Pikin Chat Room’ which was aimed at knowing what children were going through in their homes, schools or communities,” she said.
Meanwhile, Jarrett called on well-wishers and sponsors to support their organisation.