Introduction
In our recent Community Health Promoters (CHPs) training in Narok, Kenya, we explored a new approach to help CHPs educate and connect with adolescent pregnant girls: audio storytelling.
Instead of relying solely on traditional lecture-based training, Child.org has introduced audio narratives into our Pregnant Adolescent Groups (PAGs). These narratives feature real-life-inspired experiences and will be a key educational tool used by CHPs during PAG sessions. The stories centre around Lela, a young pregnant adolescent, her mother Riziki, and Esther, a CHP guiding Lela through maternal health.
The stories’ characters
- At the heart of this experience is Lela, a young adolescent navigating pregnancy. She shares her fears, challenges, and hopes through audio recordings.
- Riziki, Lela’s mother, has lived through the challenges of pregnancy and motherhood herself, but with limited support. Her narration reveals her fears, regrets and hopes as she watches Lela navigate pregnancy. Riziki’s story highlights the emotional journey of supporting a pregnant adolescent.
- Esther, a dedicated CHP, guides Lela through the importance of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services.
These realistic audio stories create a learning experience that is relatable, immersive, and deeply engaging.
Why use storytelling in our Pregnant Adolescent Groups (PAG)?
Relatability & emotional connection
Hearing real voices and authentic experiences allows PAG participants to connect deeply with the stories. It humanizes the learning process, making it more impactful than statistics or generic presentations.
Safe space for engagement
For adolescent girls, asking sensitive questions about themselves and their own bodies can be intimidating. But when framed through Lela’s story, they find a safe way to inquire:
“What if Lela starts bleeding? What should she do?”
“How can Lela convince her father to take her to the hospital?”
This third-person approach, using Lela as the main character, helps adolescent girls to seek critical information without fear of judgement. It allows them to address cultural barriers without making themselves a focal point.
Inclusivity
Audio narration overcomes literacy barriers, ensuring that even those with limited reading skills can actively participate. Additionally, it is very impactful for young mothers to hear real voices and authentic experiences from other young mothers who have faced similar fears and challenges – and found strength and hope along the way. It makes all the difference to find a space where these girls can connect, relate and see that there is a community of support ready to walk with them.
The impact of storytelling in CHP training
By integrating storytelling into our CHP training, we empower CHPs with more effective tools to educate pregnant adolescents and their families. These stories are not just informational, they are transformational; shifting mindsets and driving real behaviour change.
You can hear these stories too…
This summer we will showcase these stories at festivals across the UK and Ireland, as part of our volunteering opportunity Charity Concierge. If you are attending Latitude, Wilderness or Kaleidoscope, make sure to visit our Child.org gazebo so you can step into Lela’s world, feel her challenges, and gain a deep understanding of the realities faced by adolescent mothers in Narok, Kenya.
We will also showcase these stories at our annual Shindig at 7pm, Friday 4th April (hosted at the Forge, Bristol). Join us for a drink, some pizza – and story time. This is a free event but you must RSVP here to attend.
Until then, join our community of changemakers and sign up for our news updates today. If you think this is only a small action to take – think again! Every time we gain more interest and attention online, it really does help us spark change within the world of maternal and reproductive health for women and girls.