The research was funded by the Kiphart Foundation and the Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development at the Crown Family School at the University of Chicago. The published paper, titled "Predictors of unintended pregnancy among adolescent schoolgirls during the COVID-19-induced school closures: The case of rural and underserved communities in Ghana." explores a critically important and timely public health issue. It focuses on the heightened risk of unintended pregnancies among adolescent girls aged 13 to 19 during the school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in rural and underserved areas of Ghana.

Unintended adolescent pregnancy is a pressing concern in Ghana, further exacerbated by the pandemic related disruptions. The paper draws from a mixed methods study that surveyed 310 adolescent girls who became pregnant during the lockdowns and also involved interviews with key community stakeholders.

Approximately 73.2% of the surveyed adolescent girls reported their pregnancies as unintended during the COVID-19 school closures. Lack of sex education, limited knowledge about contraception, living with single mothers, having multiple sexual partners, and residing in rural areas significantly increased the risk of such unintended pregnancy. Early adolescents (13-15 years) were found to have a higher risk of unintended pregnancy compared to older adolescents (16-19 years)..

The KECCDR paper underscores the urgent need for multidimensional interventions aimed at reducing unintended adolescent pregnancies, especially during crises like pandemics. This publication not only advances scholarly understanding of adolescent reproductive health in sub-Saharan Africa but also raises the profile of KECCDR and FASUL as committed contributors to pressing social challenges.

KECCDR aims to build on this success by expanding its research portfolio, fostering academic collaborations, and influencing policy to improve community development outcomes in Ghana and beyond. By sharing this research, FASUL hopes to ignite informed dialogue and catalytic interventions tailored to rural and underserved communities in Ghana and beyond.

While we celebrate this research publication milestone, we recognize that the real value comes from applying these findings to improve our work and influence the broader field. This publication is not the end of a process, it is the beginning of a new phase in our work.

FASUL and KECCDR are open to collaboration in community development and related research. So, do come on board to make the world better than we met it. Together, we can turn these challenges into opportunities for stronger, safer futures for all adolescent girls.