JP Bayly Trust expands outreach to help teenage mothers

Teenage mothers will be given a second chance through a new JP Bayly Trust programme that will provide emotional and psychosocial support to help them navigate the challenges of early motherhood.

JP Bayly Trust project manager Dr Rufina Latu said the initiative would first be rolled out in Labasa before expanding to Suva and Lautoka.

“We want to reach out to give them a second chance in life and therefore address their emotional issues and also psychosocial support if they need to,” she said yesterday.

Dr Latu made the announcement during the trust's two-day annual review and planning workshop in Labasa, which brought together seven staff members from its three branches.

She said the workshop was an opportunity to review programmes delivered over the past 12 months and plan the organisation's priorities for 2027.

The trust works with underprivileged, poor and marginalised individuals and families, providing assistance with food, education, clothing and healthcare.

Over the past year, it has also strengthened its focus on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through screening programmes in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa.

Dr Latu said one of the trust's key strengths as a non-government organisation was its ability to respond quickly to emerging community needs.

“We see the needs and we respond, and that is something to our advantage,” she said.

In addition to its welfare programmes, the trust provides basic counselling services and works closely with other organisations through referral networks to ensure people receive specialised support when needed.

Dr Latu said partnerships with other non-government organisations and the Ministry of Women and Children enabled the trust to address a broader range of community issues.

She said the annual review would help shape the organisation's work plans and priorities for the coming year.