Teen pregnancy in Central America often brings an end to a young woman’s education. Cultural pressures, responsibilities with children, lack of commitment by fathers and many other difficulties prevent teen moms from continuing their education.
Honduras has the highest adolescent birthrate in Central America, at 137 births for every 1,000 15–19-year-olds.
In 2016, Reach Out Honduras felt God’s leading to open a door for a solution for teen moms and pregnant teens. The New Life Project was founded and opened with a group of 25 teen moms in 7th, 8th and 9th grade.
New Life Project students include few young fathers as well. Our moms and dads are able to bring their babies, if needed, to class with them. They study in an accelerated setting only a few hours each day. The New Life Project also offers sewing training and jewelry making as potential avenues for future small businesses.
These parents are brave and are setting an example for their children to continue reaching for their dreams, regardless of circumstances.
Thank you to each person who has specifically given financially to see the New Life Program continue.
Meet Katy
This is Katy. She is 19 years old, a wife and mom to two energetic boys. Katy studied in the Reach Out Honduras New Life Program as a young mom and will graduate from high school in 2020.
In early 2016, 16-year-old Katy arrived in Puerto Lempira from Nicaragua. She had a three year-old son named Jesus and wanted to continue her studies beyond 6th grade but was without the funds or support to continue her education. At this same time, Reach Out Honduras made a decision to begin an accelerated education program for teen moms (and now, dads). Project New Life was born due to the high number of teen pregnancies in the region and the challenges of young moms in continuing their education. Katy was part of the inaugural class of 7th graders in 2016. She is now in 10th grade in our Adult Education program and will reach her goal of high school graduation.
Katy shows appreciation for the programs at Abundant Life Institute: “I feel so proud to have studied in the New Life Project and now in the Adult Education on Saturdays. These projects changed my life. If it were not for the New Life Project, I would not have been able to continue my studies. I say thank you to everyone who worked hard to make this project happen. We are so proud of our school.”
