Early Puberty: Physical fatigue, the beginning of personality exploration, first crushes, changes in lifestyle, entering middle school, having many friends, first outings and parties without parents, questions and concerns about personal inclinations. They begin to challenge pedagogy and question the reference systems (both parental and educational).

The Characteristics of the Adolescent

Completion of Skeletal Ossification: Emotional regulation of physiological functions, neurological slowdown, independent sexuality, search for emotional stability, and realization of projects. From the above, we observe that adolescence is a period of significant changes and questioning that particularly affects young people, especially girls.

Guidance for This Age Group: Parents, teachers, mentors, and others responsible for this age group must be vigilant and attentive to all these changes. They must also show great tact in guiding these young people back to reason, helping them avoid poor choices that could lead them away from their destiny.

The Importance of Peer Influence: Adolescents must be careful about their companions, as this is a stage of life where one tends to belong to groups. The Bible says in Proverbs 13:20, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” There is also a saying that states, “We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.”

This means that humans are influenced by their environment. Whether we accept it or not, the people we interact with regularly influence our thoughts, which later translate into actions. You must be very selective with your circle of friends to ensure your values do not gradually erode. Another saying goes, “Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.”

Creating a Supportive Environment: Those who guide adolescents should create a group for them, helping them understand the changes they are going through and instilling ethical and moral values in those who lack them, while reinforcing the values they already have. The goal is to make them aware of the dangers that lie ahead.

I call for close supervision of this age group, as this is the time for important decisions, such as choosing a career path and, for some, choosing a spouse.

This stage is also prone to mistakes. According to a World Health Organization publication from January 31, 2020 (https://www.who.int…detail), about 21 million girls aged 15 to 19 become pregnant each year in developing regions, and about 12 million of them give birth. At least 777,000 girls under 15 give birth in developing countries. These statistics are alarming and should alert young girls to navigate this period successfully, as an unwanted pregnancy can derail or change their plans.

You may argue that various endogenous or exogenous factors justify these statistics, including sometimes the girl’s own will. Yes, I agree, but it remains true that the Creator intended for a child to be born within marriage, to provide the child with stability, regardless of any reasons that might be presented.

Living in Accordance with the Creator’s Principles: Success in life also means aligning with the Creator’s precepts. Blinded by the psychological and physical changes she undergoes, a young girl might, due to a poor choice, become entangled in a life that isn’t hers and miss her destiny. I was recently approached by Prisca, a nineteen-year-old girl.

Her proud demeanor and almost innocent smile do not hint at the dilemma she is facing. Her African-style headscarf and custom-made clothes elegantly draped over her well-developed figure would attract many to have her as a companion.

Prisca comes from BANDJOUN, a region in western Cameroon, known for its abundant food production, much of which is transported to the capital for sale. Prisca lived there with her mother until she moved to the capital. She has a strong desire to resume her studies, which is completely normal for her age!

Prisca’s Challenges: The problem is that Prisca doesn’t have the money to cover her school fees. Moreover, she has a son under one year old. She lives with her maternal aunt in the capital. Her aunt occupies a small house inherited from her late husband, who passed away early. She shares this house with her young cousins, who readily offer her advice to help her quickly and smoothly adapt to urban life. She sought refuge there to escape her mother’s repeated scolding for what she considers Prisca’s lack of judgment in having a child at such a young age. Prisca’s aunt is very old and in fragile health.

To meet her needs, she relies on the produce from her farm and the sale of processed cassava, commonly known in Cameroon as “Bobolo.” The aunt does not clearly show a willingness to take care of Prisca’s child while she returns to school. With much emotion, tears, and sadness, this young girl confided in me.

Her sorrow is deep when morning comes, and the household empties as everyone goes about their business and the younger ones head to school. Her days are long and consist of cleaning, washing dishes, cooking, doing laundry, and other household chores assigned to her. I was speechless for a few minutes, shocked by Prisca’s reality.

I almost wanted to tell this pretty face with blue eyes and tears streaming down that the situation she is facing is the result of a choice she made, whether consciously or not. But I held back because she has heard enough.

Encouragement and Support: I took a few minutes to encourage her to pray a lot and, most importantly, to find ways to earn some money that she could save even while staying at home. We agreed that Prisca could braid children’s hair on her porch for a fee.

Don’t ask me where the father of Prisca’s son is. He is a young student, also in the midst of puberty, who is proudly continuing his studies independently of the girl he called his sweetheart a few months ago. Prisca might hope to resume her studies when her child is old enough to detach from her and go to school himself, hoping that the flame of education won’t be extinguished in her mind despite the trials and tribulations of her new life. Her future husband will have to accept the presence of this child. Prisca’s story is just an example.

A Common Scenario: This type of scenario occurs by the thousands. Despite the many negative consequences it has on a young girl’s life, it’s a scenario that keeps repeating itself. It has even become almost normal for some, yet this is not God’s will…

This text is an excerpt from the book “Letter From an Elder: Practical Advice to a Young Girl for a Successful Adult Life” by Syntyche IHINDI.

We invite you to read the following article “Waking Up Early.”

Teenager. Teenager. Teenager