Today, we met with the community and local authorities of the village of Robol Junction. After a very interactive and enriching discussion with, among others, the Mami Queen and the Chairlady (important and influential female figures in the community), we met with the students of the Missionary Church of Africa Secondary School and discussed essential topics that are still too taboo in Sierra Leone: menstruation, early pregnancies, and STIs.
We would like to share with you a disconcerting and sadly real exchange from our discussion with the students.
When we asked the students to tell us what they thought were the causes of early/teen pregnancies, a young female student replied, “poverty.” She explained how some young girls end up agreeing to exchange sexual favors with mature men against money to buy lunch. In Sierra Leone, many parents cannot afford to provide for all their children’s needs (such as lunch, for example), which leads the children to find solutions on their own to fill these gaps. Unfortunately, for young girls, this often means selling their bodies…
Even today, in 2026, too many young girls are forced to compromise their health, safety, well-being, and dignity just to survive. This is not fair, it is not normal, and it is not acceptable.
This must stop. It is everyone’s responsibility, no matter where we are in the world. 
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