FAMILY PLANNING AND CONTRACEPTION AMONG TEENAGE GIRLS IN ACCRA

The Ghana health service district information management health system states that between 2016 and 2020, Ghana recorded 542,131 pregnancies among teenage girls aged 15 to 19 years and 13,444 among young adolescents aged 10 to 14 years.

Pregnant teenage girls
Source: www.istockphoto.com

These figures are not only alarming, but also a serious issue that will affect the lives, health, wealth, and general well-being of teenagers, their offspring, families, communities, and the nation as a whole for the rest of their lives.

The use of contraceptives as a family planning tool helps couples avoid unintended pregnancies. It helps them to plan and space the number of children they want to have. However,these days many teenagers are involved in family planning methods.

Pregnancy and child bearing are usually considered for married couples. If they prefer not to have children or to space them, they opt for family planning methods. All sexually active girls today frequently use family planning techniques. Today, family planning techniques are taught in schools as well. To prevent conception, various family planning techniques or forms of contraception are available. There are different types of family planning methods or contraception available to avoid pregnancy, among them are condoms, IUDs, hormonal pills, emergency medications, and patches.

Contraception methods
Source:iStock.com

Teenage females' rates of pregnancies have decreased as a result of the development and widespread usage of family planning techniques and contraception.

A doctor explaining some contraception methods to a teenage girl

Source:smart choice.com

But some teenage girls have resorted to the use of family planning methods. A number of them are mostly influenced by their peers as they do not engage in any research or consult with the right authorities before using any of the methods.

Numerous studies have shown that about 43 percent of teenage girls are using family planning methods. But there are varied opinions about it's effect on the health of the teenagers using it.

It's critical that teenage girls utilize birth control if they wish to engage in safe, consenting sex. It will aid in preventing conception. Teenage females should consult their doctors for advice on which option is best for them.

Final production by Ruth Akua Maanu Annoh.

LONG BRAIDS AND LADIES TODAY.

    Many Africans have braided their hair over the years  as far back as 3500bc, women were using durable materials like wool,felt, goat hair and even human hair for their hair.

An ancient combination of wool and felt braid

Source:Pinterest.com

This act has evolved over the years, ranging from simple classic cornrows ,three strand braids and even  more which tells of ones societal status ,sense of fashion ,and simply the need to look beautiful.  

Gorgeous ancient cornrow styles  
Source:ebay.com

It is evident that long braids have indeed come to stay as it has  been an act amongst females especially from time in memorial  throughout generations . It is rather interesting that braiding styles  have taken a great  new turn.

 Most hairdressers measure the length of the hair in inches,  usually from 8 to 32inches. The 8 inches hair length is usually around the ear getting to the neckline. These days young ladies believe that the longer the braids the trendier they look. 

Long beautiful trendy three strand braids 

Expressions and styles have changed but braiding patterns have remained.  In todays world, braids are adorned and worn very long because it is said to make one feel more feminine. 

A beautiful trendy braids 

Braids are indeed a thing of beauty, so adorable.Forgive a hairstylist who has been on the job for 3 tremendous years explains that ,most ladies can't just cope without long braids because it is  stressfree , beautiful and easy to wear. 

Longer braids gives beautiful gorgeous and an elegant look as its longevity allows easy styling and has  fewer negative effects on the scalp.

Final project by

                       KOTSIKO PATIENCE 

CARING FOR CATS IN ACCRA.

 Ghanaians have kept pets, especially cats over the years.  However,  do they really take good care of their cats as they do for dogs. 

A cat lying down. 

Pets are animals that are kept for pleasure, mostly these animals are friendly and serve as good companions. 

Cats provide emotional support, improve moods and contribute to the overall morale of their owners. Cats are great companions. 

Adorable cat.
Source: ASPCA.

Dogs for instance are considered as loyal animals. Fowls, goats, ram, ducks and birds are all types of animals that other people keep as pets. 

Variety of pets. 
Source: istock.

However, there are some danger associated with keeping pets. For example apart from Rabies and Ringworm, cats also transmit harmful parasites like Toxocariasis.

According to (cdc.gov) vaccines help protect against infectious disease caused by virus and bacteria.

                                       

 

As much as we love to keep pets, it is important to visit the veterinary often to keep the pets healthy.

Final production by Elizabeth Horla Ababio.

WHAT I ORDERED VS WHAT I GOT .

ONLINE SHOPPING
SOURCE : ISTOCK

 

There are no longer the times when individuals who live far from market place, shops etc send a reliable  source to buy and transport goods and service so they would not be damage.

TRADITIONAL BUYING
SOURCE: ALAMY

Thanks to technology, this is not the case now. With the help of technology, it is now possible to shop for goods and services on the internet while relaxing in a convenient location. 

ONLINE SHOPPING
SOURCE: ISTOCK

However, have you ever questioned whether an item you have ordered will arrive exactly as you expected ?Nowadays, the majority of people complain on social media about their mistakes.  " WHAT I ORDERED VS WHAT I GOT " is how people typically refer to this social media about their mistakes.

WHAT I ORDERD VS WHAT I GOT
SOURCE: YEN

Who is to blame is the key question, though? Most online shoppers do not take the time to read thoroughly before making a purchase, according to the Customer Protection Agency's Head of Marketing . Once more, internet consumers choose to purchase expensive goods with low price.   In general, every customer sets a budget before purchasing a product and either tries to negotiate. when the cost is excessive. This is not the case while shopping online. Different pricing units may be associated with a certain product. If caution is not used, the buyer can find themselvspurchasing only a portion of the item rather than the whole thing.

However a Kikuu official clarified that sometimes the sorting from the warehouse to the pickup or the customer destination is the issues. When a customer is unsatisfied with a product they have purchased , they are given a return policy in this circumstance. 

 

Because everyone accesses social media to promote goods they are interested in buying and selling without first completing the right registration process, there is no particular regulation controlling online shopping in Ghana. 

Everything in Ghana is supported by the law since it is done to safeguard everyone. Online shopping, on the other hand, is not subject to such restrictionshence no legislation governing it does not exist.

ONLINE SHOPPING LAW
SOURCE: RESEACH GATE

What steps can we take as customers to reduce this risk when we shop online? We must do extensive research on the particular we need to buy.  Ask the price of the product on various online platforms to get an approximate cost for the item you want to buy. 

Internet shopping will probably remain common until then because it is cheap , but make sure you properly follow the directions to avoid any regret. Till then enjoy your online shopping. 

AN HAPPY ONLINE SHOPPER
SOURCE; SHUTTERSTOCK

Final production by Jessica Akuah Ampim.

Dangers of Braiding Kids' Hair

 When is the right time to braid your baby’s hair?  

                                                  

Image of a kid getting her hair braided

Many things come with caring for your baby and the baby’s hair is one of them. As the baby develops a thick head of hair, figuring out exactly what to do with it can be challenging.

Some parents therefore choose to braid their kids’ hair for additional beautification purposes.

Interestingly, parents of such kids in their attempt and quest to beautify their wards put them through the hair braiding ordeal. 

                                                  

Image of a kid with braided hair

According to Dr Priscilla Wobil, a paediatrician with UNICEF on thefinderonline.com, “braiding of kid’s hair could damage their scalp and hair follicles at an early stage. And it’s also unhealthy to make a child go through the hair braiding ordeal.”

Abigail Ntiri, a kid’s hairdresser with 4 years’ experience admits that braiding of the hair is not a pleasant experience for most of her clients.    

 

“They cry because it’s painful, so you have to pamper them. Some also tend to have rashes around the hair and also receding hair line after the braiding”, she notes. 

Meanwhile, speaking to some of these children who braid their hair, it was obvious most of them braid under the influence of parents and hence they have also come to accept the practice. 

                                                                                     

Dr Paa Gyasi Hagan, a dermatologist from Holy family Hospital says braiding of kid’s hair increases the risk of kids developing an irreversible form of scarring hair loss at an early stage.

                                                   

Abigail Oware · Braiding Vn 1

He also went on to advise that, parents should allow their kids wear their hair as freely as possible so that their scalp and hair follicles can have the ability to breathe and flourish on their own.

Putting your baby’s hair and scalp through stress just to look beautiful will do more harm than good. 

                                                   

A kid with braided hair

Parents if possible, should resist the urge to braid their kid’s hair until they are old enough to handle it.

Final production by Abigail Oware

Bathing Twice a Day – Nay or Yay?

 

                                              

An image of a person bathing 

Want healthy, cleaner skin? The answer could be to stop bathing regularly.

How frequently you bath is of course a personal preference.  

A survey done by the market company yougov. suggests that the majority of people bath daily.

An image of some items used for bathing

For many, perhaps most – bathing twice daily is more about habit and societal norms than health. But is this daily task necessary or even healthy? Let’s ask ourselves.

Over the years, there has been a conflicting debate on how often one should bath a day. Some people think that it’s an unhealthy practice not to bath twice daily.

    

 However, a recent finding from healthline.com and webmd.com  suggests that, “the ideal number of times to bath is twice or thrice a week”.

The American Academy of Dermatology also says, “bathing twice everyday may dehydrate your skin. It strips away natural essential oils from the skin causing itching, flaky skin and flare up skin conditions like eczema”.

Dr Paa Gyasi Hagan, a dermatologist from Holy family Hospital said in an interview that, “the effects that bathing has on the skin is as a results of the items used during bathing and the after bathing care.”

                                        

Abigail Oware · Bathing VN 1

He further advised that, “it’s important to know your skin type so as to know the recommended bathing products your skin can tolerate and it’s healthy to limit the number of times one baths daily.”

If you do insist on taking daily bath, Dr Hagan advice you don't take longer time, your bathing time should be five minutes long – at a lukewarm temperature. He also recommends applying creams and lotions to your skin after your bath for protection.

Also, James Hamblin, an American physician in public health and preventive medicine and a journalist with The Atlantic Magazine suggests that bathing often damages your skin health.

                                                        

James Hamblin, auhor of Clean
Image Source: New York Post 

Hamblin in an experiment quit bathing for five years, giving his skin a new lease on life. In his book named CLEAN , he recounts his approach to personal hygiene and how quitting bathing as an experiment turned into a way of life.

                                                        

Image of James Hamblin's Book - CLEAN
Image Source: npr.org

Although bathing twice a week may not sound appealing, bathing too often does more harm than good. Therefore, if you are taking two or more baths a day, it might be time to consider cutting down for a healthy hand cleaner skin.

Final production by Abigail Oware

WAX PRINTS AND THEIR MEANINGS

Wax prints

African wax prints, Dutch wax prints or Ankara, are omnipresent and common materials for clothing in West and Central Africa. They were introduced to West and Central Africans by Dutch merchants during the 19th century, who took inspiration from native Indonesian techniques and Akwete cloth designs. Akwete cloth is a unique hand woven textile produced in Igboland, Nigeria.

According to source voice of inspiration, it’s not African print because the Dutch brought it to our shores. So instead of calling it African fabrics it should be called Wax print. 

The origin of the printed fabric and its popularity in Africa date back to the mid-1800s when a Dutch company, now named Vlisco, traded it in West Africa's coastal towns. Since then, the fabric has been a mainstay of African fashion. The generic “wax hollandais” reference originated then.

These clothes also have deep meaning: often, fabrics have hidden messages. Why is it that some patterns have tortoises on them and some parade large fans in bold and dazzling colors? It’s easy to see fingers, lipstick, elephants, birds etc. in the array of patterns on our Wax print.

The colors and symbols used in each print design can symbolize a tribe, marriage, and social status of the wearer. After the fabrics are designed, printed, and distributed to markets, particularly in West Africa, the women who wear the cloth create the stories and hidden meanings behind them, this is according to the head of sales and marketing at Akosombo textiles, Petra Aba Asamoah. 

Below are some fascinating names and meanings of common patterns that can be found on wax prints. These names of patterns date back to Nkrumah’s time as he is also mentioned. There is a fabric named after his pen, this fabric is called Nkrumah pencil. It is said to symbolize the power his pen held in signing orders used to control political opponents. 

Ludu Dice: The Ludu Dice fabric has patterns of little four-square boxes, it is called Ludu Dice because it has the shape of a ludu dice. 

Ludu Dice 
  Source: voice of inspiration

“S3 wu b3 ka me hu as3m fa akonya tinase”: “If you want to talk about me, take a stool and sit down” The stool in the fabric is a key feature. 

S3 wu b3 ka me hu as3m fa akonya tinase

                            Source: voice of inspiration

“Akufu”:  Akufu fabric mostly comes in blue, it is said to be worn by wealthy people or people of great reputation. 

Akufu 
  Source: voice of inspiration

“Papa y3 asa”: “Goodness is finished” The meaning is that no matter what you do for your fellow human being they’ll never be grateful. 

Papa yi asa 
  Source: voice of inspiration

Nkrumah Pencil: The Nkrumah pencil fabric has drawings of pencils in them, the cloth symbolizes the power Nkrumah’s pen had to sign orders used to control political opponents. 

Nkrumah pencil
   Source: voice of inspiration

Petra Aba Asamoah head of sales and marketing at Akosombo textiles gives us more insight on how the names in wax prints are generated.

 

Akuah Ampim · Petra Aba Asamoah(Head of Sales and marketing at ATL)

In conclusion, the next time you want to purchase a wax print, don’t just look at the color but the designs in it and what they might be communicating.

Final production by Stella Ewurabena Everett