Improving the mental health of pregnant teenagers in Cameroon

Fondation Dora provided financial support to a pilot project for mental health aimed at pregnant girls and teenage mothers in the Yaoundé of Cameroon. 

In Cameroon, as a segment of society, pregnant girls and teenage mothers are exposed to violence, susceptible to dropping out of school and social isolation, which then leads to a high risk of developing mental health problems, in turn resulting in depression, psychological distress or even suicide.

Training and supervision on the programme are carried out by Swiss child psychiatrists and a professor of public health from the University of Geneva.

In Cameroon, the programme is run by healthcare workers and psychologists and a community network comprising young women known as 'aunties' who already provide counselling to teenagers.

1365 teenage mothers were evaluated between 2014 and 2017, 867 of them showed clinically significant symptoms and were provided with psychological care. During this period, 404 healthcare professionals received training and/or an awareness programme regarding mental health challenges.

Fondation Dora supported this program for four years, from 2013 to 2016.