Author: Lian Choong
2 minute read
Alberta is a woman taking charge of her future and supporting young girls in her community to do the same. Find how she is changing lives!
Photo credit: Tina Forslund
Alberta Dowuona is 30, and a nurse working at the health clinic in The Hunger Project epicenter building in Obenyemi, Ghana. Her husband lives in Accra, but she travels between Accra and Obenyemi. She has worked at the clinic for three years and wants to be a midwife.
I love working with young people, and teaching them health-related issues. I work to prevent teenage pregnancies, but also support pregnant and young mothers who I advise on food and nutrition.
Alberta, Nurse at Obenyemi Epicentre, Ghana
An important part of the work is also to get women to come to the delivery clinic at the epicenter to give birth.
“Some live far from here, and many do not have a car or maybe only a motorcycle. I make home visits, and can even go and pick them up with my car to take them to the clinic when it's time to give birth.”
Alberta and her colleague hold training in nutrition.
“We talk about the importance of exclusively breastfeeding their children for the first six months.”
Since The Hunger Project came, I have seen a great development here in the area. And for me personally, it's been a journey. I didn't want to be a midwife before, now I want to be there for pregnant moms. The midwives who taught me were an inspiration.
Alberta, Nurse at Obenyemi Epicentre, Ghana
Every week Alberta visits the two schools in the area and talks about the importance of education and the risks of child marriage and early pregnancies.
“I've started a group for young girls, a "youth club", and we have a workshop every Wednesday. We talk about what happens when you become pregnant, that you cannot continue in school but also cannot support a child. I support both those who become pregnant and those who want advice on their future. Some are shy and do not want to talk in groups about their dreams, but then they come to me here to the epicenter or when they see me on the street, to talk.”
They have dreams, some want to become hairdressers or seamstresses, others want to become chefs or teachers, I give them advice on how to get there and make their own money.
Alberta, Nurse at Obenyemi Epicentre, Ghana
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