I've become hopeful again : A qualitative study of how the work of NGOs can be beneficial for teenage mothers in the Philippines.

Abstract: This study aims to examine how the work of NGOs can be beneficial for teenage mothers’ in the Philippines. We wanted to study why they sought support of an NGO and how their lives were impacted after they made contact with an NGO. Teenage pregnancy rates have been rising in the Philippines and mostly affect the young mothers negatively i.e. they often have to quit school and be financially dependent on their parents. They are a stigmatized group and to understand their situation you have to comprehend how the context in the Philippines comes to affect them.  The study was conducted using a qualitative inductive method. By using semi-structured interviews, we have collected our material by interviewing eight young mothers who were in contact with two different organizations.  The result of the study shows that the work of NGOs has a significant influence in improving the young mothers’ lives both mentally and physically. When becoming pregnant they get rejected by their social circle and are left on their own because they are viewed as a disgrace. To analyze our result, we have used stigmatization and empowerment as theoretical framework. The study has shown that the environment is crucial for the outcome of their lives and that the organizations’ play an important role in their lives to empower them to take action and start something new.