Day of the African Child Special - Reject Issue 64

Day of the African Child June 15-30, 2012

ISSUE 064

A bimonthly newspaper by the Media Diversity Centre, a project of African Woman and Child Feature Service

Day of the African Child

No longer safe Kenyan children at threat within the four walls they call home

By JANE GODIA Just as she entered puberty, Rose’s parents decided to take her to a boarding school. Her mother, a business woman who travels all the way from Teso in Western Kenya to Nairobi for her supplies, never had time to drop the girl off.

Rose’s father was charged with the task of ensuring that the 13 year old girl goes to school, while also ensuring that she had enough supplies of the basics to see her through the term. A perfectly normal responsibility for any parent.

Father’s Perception

However, as Rose matured and transformed into a woman, so did the father’s perception of her. Soon he would be passing through a guest house with the girl before proceeding to school - abusing culture and tradition in the most heinous way.

Rose had now become his lover.

This went on for some time, drawing the attention of neighbours, who promptly informed Rose’s mother.

Armed with this information, one day she left under the pretext that she was going for supplies. However, she got off the bus and came back in the middle of the night, only to find Rose with her husband on her matrimonial bed. When she tried to protest, she was beaten thoroughly before being thrown out of the house. Today Rose lives with the man she calls father as husband and wife.

Rose’s case is not isolated, and many children are victims of sexual and physical abuse from those who should love them most and offer them ultimate protection. As African Woman and Child Features Service went round the country, creating awareness on why Continued on page 2

For many Kenyan children home is no longer a haven of warmth, love and protection as pedophiles and other child abusers lurk within homes. Pictures: Reject correspondent

Read more Reject stories online at w w w. m d c a f r i c a . o r g

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ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Double tragedy for those with disabilities

By RUTH OMUKHANGO As the world celebrates the Day of the African Child, with a special focus on the right of children with disabilities to education, many children in the urban slums of Kibera continue to suffer in silence - oblivious of this special event.

Despite the fact that the Government has embraced free primary education, children with a disability, especially in urban slums, are faced with multiple challenges of discrimination - from home to the community level.

Further, environmental challenges, as well as sanitation issues, hinder these children from a proper education.

Report

According to a report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), only 26,000, or 1.7 percent, of the estimated 1.5 million children with disabilities in Kenya, have actual access to some form of education. These statistics indicate that the majority of Kenyan children with special needs are not receiving any educational support. Some of the reasons for this include: poverty, a long distance to school, parental

ignorance, limited training of teachers and a lack of assistive devices, like Braille books.

For Melody Achieng, who suffers from cerebral palsy, a pupil at the Little Rock Inclusive School in Kibera slums, life has not been a bed of roses.

In fact, her life is a consistent determination to succeed against all odds.

Sponsors

Unlike many other children her age who are still languishing in the slums, since their parents do not know how to handle such conditions, 11-year-old Achieng is lucky to have been sponsored by the school and is now in class three.

Having gone through a series of occupational therapy treatments, Achieng is now able to read and write as well a move around in her wheelchair. However, this progress has been in collaboration with her parents, who have had to make a lot of difficult decisions, which include moving out of the slum where they were paying reasonable rents - to expensive areas in order to accommodate their daughter’s movements with the wheel chair. Her parents are forced to work extra hard to raise the money for the rent in

order to sustain their daughter’s lifestyle.

According to Lily Oyare, Director at Little Rock, children from urban slums, such as Kibera, are more disadvantaged, but it is worse for those with disabilities. These children are vulnerable to abuse. Worse still, these children are subjected to the stigma attached to children with disabilities. In fact, many families have separated - leaving these children in precarious situations.

“Most fathers with disabled children have walked out of their families because they believe that disability is a curse,” says Oyare, emphasising the need for sensitization and awareness creation.

Challenges

For many parents in the Kibera slums, taking care of a child with a disability is an uphill task. It means an additional responsibility, when they are already stressed with the pressures of life that require them to put food on the table.

“Many of the physically challenged children need special attention, such as carrying them to school and taking them back home after school, but their parents are never available

as they are busy trying to look for money,” says Oyare.

Since the school opened its doors in 2004, it has enrolled about 120 children with special needs, such as: Down Syndrome, Autistic, the hearing impaired, the physically disabled and those with Cerebral Palsy.

So far, 40 children have been integrated into government created special schools or units.

Inclusion

According to Oyare, children with disabilities are supported in an inclusive environment, where they learn together with all the other regular children.

This helps to foster acceptance and break long held prejudices in the community about disabilities. Despite the progress, she is quick to add that there are still many children in the slums who need special attention since most of them are hidden in houses and cannot come out.

“We have received many requests from parents for their children to join the school since it is free, but we have turned them down due to lack of space and special equipment necessary to take care of these children.”

She adds that the challenge of managing special education

Melody Achieng, an 11-year-old girl suffering from cerebral palsy. Like many other children living with mental disabilities, life has been very hard for her and her family. She is however determined to succeed against all odds. Picture: Reject Correspondent is that it is costly, and that the best way to improve education for children with disabilities is to improve the education sector as a whole.

As indicated by the Education For All (EFA) Global Report 2010, Governments need to

develop national plans to extend inclusive education for children with disabilities, including detailed target strategies for improving access and learning achievement, and comprehensive plans for providing finance for training teachers.

Children at threat within the four walls they call home Continued from page 1 the country needs to be peaceful as we are headed towards general elections, stories emerged for the women peace champions that incest and sodomy are ruining the lives of Kenyan children.

From Garissa to Isiolo, Kisumu, Busia, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kiambu and Murang’a it emerged that children — both boys and girls — are being deflowered within their homes, where they are supposed to be safe and protected.

As the continent marks the Day of the African Child, the region’s ways of life are no longer in practice. People have adapted to doing things that were previously unheard of and would be treated as abominations. Fathers no longer treat their children as children, and many have turned their daughters into substitutes for their wives. This was said to be especially common in homes where the mother is the sole breadwinner, or a business person who leaves home at crack of dawn. The children she leaves behind are not safe from the man who is supposed to protect them.

According to the women in Kisumu, even where the mother got married had a girl child, who the man is suppose to treat as a daughter, this one ends up being the woman’s rival.

Respect

“The men no longer respect their children.

Sexual abuse of the girl child in Kisumu has reached alarming proportions,” says Amina Akello, a peace champion and an aspiring politician.

She adds: “The sad thing is that people do not want to talk about it. Mothers are hiding because this is a shame to the family.”

According to Akello respect between fathers and daughters, as well as mothers and sons, is no longer there.

“The line that separates the two has been eroded. In the slums of Kisumu we have even encountered situations where mothers are having sex with their sons,” says Akello, who is also a community worker.

She says that the Luo culture demands that, if a woman is married with a child or a pregnancy that did not belong to the man, then he paid dow-

ry to allow him to take responsibility for both the mother and child. The man then automatically became the child’s father and was responsible for all her needs and welfare. “This has now changed, and the step daughter in the Luo community is most at risk from her father,” says Akello, who notes that the community does not have a word for ‘step’, as this is regarded as one family.

Denial

However, even as communities refuse to face the reality of rape and defilement in the family, the problem will not be solved if they do not talk about it and punish the culprits.

In Murang’a the women expressed fears over the safety of the boy child. They noted that, while many women have absconded having sex with their husbands, who are said to be steeped deep in alcoholism, the men are looking to young boys for sexual satisfaction.

“The men, when drunk from the brew, are now turning to young boys and men instead.

Sodomy is taking place and the sad thing is that it is generating a group of gays,” said one woman champion.

The culture of silence is affecting the children, as they do not know who to turn to. They end up depressed and commit suicide. In Garissa, where the Somali community is strict on girls to retain their virginity for marriage, rape is not even discussed.

While the women in North Eastern Province acknowledged that rape does exist, the situation is compounded by the fact that it is a taboo topic.

A girl, then, cannot be married because she has already been deflowered and has brought shame upon the family.

“They do not discuss the issue when it occurs.

Instead the girl is accused of bringing the problem upon herself. She is stigmatised and isolated,” says Doris Wangeci, a civic leader within the town.

According to the peace champions in Busia, this problem has escalated to the extent that girls then drop out of school and engage in prostitution.

“Girl child prostitution along the border between Malaba and Busia is too much. They are students during the day and wives or prostitutes at

Experiences of childhood are no longer filled with memorable games as a significant number of children find themselves shouldering more and more responsibilities while others live with the scars of sexual abuse. Pictures: Jane Godia and Reject Correspondent night,” says Mary Emadau, a women’s leader from Teso. She adds: “Girls as young as 13 are already engaging in sex and purporting to be wives.”

The same sentiments were expressed in Isi-

olo, where the presence of military camps are said to be affecting girls’ schooling. Most girls want to associate with the soldiers because they have money.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

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EDITORIAL In this special issue of the Reject, we celebrate the child in Kenya and Africa in general as we look forward to marking the day of the African Child tomorrow.

When we gave out assignments for stories on the state of the Kenyan child we did not anticipate the tribulations that children of this country are going through. It is sad to note that the Kenyan child is an endangered species as those charged with ensuring that children go to school so we can eradicate illiteracy are gambling with their lives. This is attested to by the fact that all the stories delivered only address the issue of education, a clear indication that

the ministry concerned and all stakeholders have failed children. Worst of all communities have not accepted that the girl child is part of humanity and can do just as much as the boy.

Ignorance is a driving factor as the girl in Samburu is sexually abused by the Morans who will give her beads just saw he can have sex with her at will. Meanwhile, the girl in Turkana has been made to believe that school only makes girls bad people.

How will change come upon society when early marriage and pregnancy remain barriers to young women? Despite free primary education, incest and sodomy remain as vices that

has permeated society living children at a very high risk of sexual abuse and sexually transmitted infections.

What about those who have been cursed and are being killed for the sins of their parents? The state of the Kenyan child remains desperate and calls for a review of how society would like to deal with the generation that is being bred today. A generation that will be bitter in the older years; a generation that will punish others for the sins of their mothers and fathers as well as negligence of society. It is time Kenyans woke up to the reality and took joint responsibility in ensuring that

the child is safe at home, in the streets and at school. Otherwise, the country will rue the day it allowed fathers to make their daughters wives and society to sodomise its sons. It will be sad indeed when after 2015, Turkana girls will still be herding cattle and the Samburu daughters will still be chained to the beads of Samburu as children in Malindi remain toys for sex pests.

Kenyans and Africa in general must rise up and empower its sons and daughters; protect them and ensure they have a future that is bright and not one soiled by inhuman behaviour.

Autistic children miss out on educational funding

By FAITH MUIRURI His broad smile and agility perfectly conceal his lost links with speech.

At first he mumbles a few words and then, suddenly, reverts into incoherent speech to reveal his impairment in communication.

He faintly recollects himself, but is quickly destructed by the music that is playing loudly to entertain the hundreds of children and parents who have gathered to mark this year’s Autism Day. Adrian Karanja is only eight years old, but, unlike other children his age, he has difficulties in engaging in meaningful conversation. He is only able to babble a few words and phrases, but that has not stopped his zeal for music. He hums to all musical tones that appeal to his senses.

Sacrifice

His mother, Catherine Gitonga, says that her son will only remain attentive as long as some music plays in the background. She was forced to quit her job as a hotelier after he was diagnosed with Autism at the age of three.

She says that at the age of two years her son had not uttered a word. She suspected something had gone amiss, as she too had suffered complications at delivery.

At first her relatives were in complete denial. Adrian was born moments after his paternal grandfather committed suicide, and, therefore, his condition was highly associated with the horrific act. He underwent several cleansing rituals to correct the condition, but it was all in vain.

The mother awoke to the reality that his son was suffering from Autism, a condition that affects speech development, when they sought medical help.

She says that currently she has enrolled him at Buru Buru Phase 1 Primary School. Although other children in the school are reaping the benefits of a Free Primary Education, Adrian’s mother has to pay KSh10,000 to cater for his special needs.

Lui Mui is only two and a half years, but his love for cars is insatiable.

His mother, Miriam Ndinda Mweu, who is a laboratory technologist with the AAR, says that she has had to buy a car to contend with her son’s condition.

“Anytime I took him along to the supermarket, he would go straight to find car toys and would cry until I bought him the toy,” she explains.

Mweu says her son was diagnosed with Autism in October, last year.

“This prompted me into undertaking extensive research on Autism, and information in all books I have read seem to correspond with every medicine prescribed to my son. However, I believe that one day my son will be able to express himself coherently,” she adds, with a tinge of optimism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (referred to as ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that typically appears during the first 36 months of age. In Kenya, the actual number of children affected by Autism is unknown. There are no statistics as to how many children have autism in Kenya, and there is very little support for families who struggle to raise a child with Autism.

Diagnosis

Since there is no medical test for ASD, diagnosis is done through a clinical setting. An ASD diagnosis is best determined by a team of professionals through observation, play and testing of the child, coupled with interviews with parents or guardians.

Because ASD is a spectrum disorder, children with Autism are unique in their capabilities and challenges.

According to Trixie Pujol, who is the secretary of Autism Awareness Kenya, impaired social interaction, speech development problems and signs of restricted behaviours characterize the condition.

She, however, says that, owing to myths associated with Autism, mothers have wrongly been accused of causing the condition by being cold and unloving to their children.

“This is not the case because Au-

Social interaction red flags Little or no eye contact Poor limitation Unable to share toys Behavioural Red Flags Obsession with unusual objects Repetitive body movements Difficulty with changes in routine and schedule Inconsistent response to sound Over or under sensitivity to sensory stimuli Unusual toy play Communication Red Flags No babbling in 12 months No single words in 16 months No two third phrases by 24 months May have had language and then lost it Limited pointing/ gestures Trouble with reciprocal conversation Peculiar use of language Trouble initiating communication Autistic children are treated to fanfare during celebrations to mark tism is caused by genetic factors that this year’s Autism Day. Autism is a rare condition that affects speech may be environmentally triggered,” development. There are no statistics as to how many children have she adds during an interview with Autism in Kenya today and there is very little support for families who The Reject. struggle to raise a child with Autism. Below: Jovial : Adrian Karanja is cajoled by his mother Catherine Gitonga during the interview. He is a pupil at Buru Buru Phase 1 Primary School where his parents have to She says that most mothers with pay fee to cater for his special needs. Pictures: David Njagi children affected by Autism have been blamed and are forced to carry the burden that comes with a child that has an are engaged in clinical trials of a tech- body currently spearheading the rights nology that will help detect such cases of children affected by Autism. It startautism condition.

This, she says, delays treatment, at an early stage and correct the situa- ed in February 2010 as a small group of since most mothers actually believe it tion from between five-six months of professionals and parents interested in: is indeed their fault. “This prevents the pregnancy. According Dr. G. Ogutu, raising awareness and increase sensitichild from getting the necessary inter- who attended the function, trials of zation on Autism, providing support the new technology were already in and empowerment for families and vention,” she adds.

Autism affects one in 90 children place locally, and this will help to bring individuals affected by autism, develworldwide. However, through early down the high levels of children with oping and supporting knowledge and understanding of autism, advocating intervention, a child may reach their Autism in the country.

He urged pregnant mothers to at- for the rights of people with autism, developmental potential. In Kenya the intervention is limited - since there are tend pre-natal care clinics to ensure that and providing an appropriate link for only ten speech therapists to cater for such cases are detected at an early stage individuals and families affected by autism to the professional and therapeutic the whole country. and remedial action is taken.

Currently, medical practitioners Autism Awareness Kenya is the facilities

Blame

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ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Challenges abound for Africa’s urban child

By JOYCE CHIMBI It is four o’clock in the evening - a time for most pupils to go home, including nine year old Nelly Wangui.

As she hurries home, a batch of firewood is perched on her head. The paper bag in which she carries her school books hangs loosely from the bundle.

Every now and then she reaches out to ensure that her books have not dropped somewhere along the way.

Although she paints a picture that seems more at home with her counterparts in rural areas, those she meets do not give her a second glance. After all, her story is so much like that of hundreds of children in her neighbourhood in the sprawling Korogocho slums in Nairobi.

Here, government statistics estimate that 200,000 people live in crowded conditions: a combination of extreme poverty and an absence of basic services.

“As experiences of childhood become increasingly urban, so are the experiences of extreme deprivation and a continuous fight for survival for children living in urban slums,” observes Dr Ken Onyango, a paediatrician in Nairobi.

The doctor, who often volunteers his services to slum areas, explains that urban life is harsh for slum children.

Urban Advantage

Children in urban areas are perceived to be more likely to survive infancy and live beyond their fifth birthday, since they enjoy better nutrition, health and education compared to their rural counterparts.

This is what is referred to as the ‘urban advantage’.

Those living around cities are believed to have better services within their reach.

However, according to UNICEF’s report, dubbed Status of the World’s Children 2012, which documents the well being of children in an urban world, this ‘urban advantage’ does not extend to children living in urban slums.

“There is an absence of child friendly initiatives in conceptualising urban infrastructure, as space available for them to play is often grabbed by private developers,” explains John Otieno, an urban real estate developer.

He notes: “Since slums are considered illegal, the government feels no obligation to ensure that slum dwellers have access to water and proper sanitation.”

Statistics

Globally, one in every three urban dwellers lives in the slums. In Africa the numbers are staggering, at six in every ten people.

Urban population is growing highest in Africa, followed by Asia.

As an increasing number of African children continue to grow up in urban areas, so has the number of children living in urban slums

East Africa grapples with health and education

By JOYCE CHIMBI

in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.

In Kenya, for instance, the report says: “Around two thirds of Nairobi lives in crowded informal settlements.”

Njeri is part of this statistics. Her daily life is marred with deprivation and abject poverty. Her hardships are, nonetheless, often concealed, and thus perpetuated, by national statistics that give an average of the general well being of children.

“The lack of some is concealed by the excesses of others. In education, for instance, East African countries are now implementing free primary education. Statistics show improved levels of enrolment, but low enrolment in urban slums is often concealed,” says Dave Ndonga, a primary school teacher in Mukuru kwa Njenga, another slum in Nairobi.

The report by UNICEF supports this claim; in many African countries, such as Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania, children in urban slums are the least likely to attend school.

This is in spite of the fact that statistics in Tanzania show that enrolment rate has doubled to about 97 percent.

Additional Costs

“Children in slum areas drop out of school due to additional costs, that include buying uniforms, and, at times, even writing material.

However, there’s really little attention to the nature of education available to children in urban slums. Some classes have as many as a hundred students per teacher,” explains Muigai Ngugi, a children’s right activist in Nairobi.

He further says that these children are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol at the onset of adolescence, and in their teenage years engage in criminal activities. This is a result of the minimal supervision from the adults around them.

Although many African countries have drastically reduced deaths of children under five years, the rate is higher in slum areas - even in a country such as Nigeria, whose capital, Lagos, is among the 21 world’s mega cities; one of the only two from Africa.

UNICEF reports have shown that women in urban slums are

From top: Pupils head for school in the sprawling Kibera slums. Experts indicate that children who live in urban slums are victims of extreme deprivation and continuously fight for survival. Children in the urban slum have to contend with harsh life on a daily basis. Pictures: Jane Godia and Reject Correspondent more likely to wean their children earlier than their rural counterparts, exposing their children to health risks and possibilities of death before their fifth birthday.

In Kenya, the average death rate for those under five is about 77 deaths per 1,000 live births. It is, however, staggering in urban slums at 151 deaths per 1,000 live births.

The leading causes are preventable; pneumonia and diarrhoea.

In Cape Town, South Africa, children under the age of five living in slums are five times more likely to die than those living in high-income areas.

Although the UN-Habitant, keen on human settlements, recommends that not more than three people should be sharing a room, in slum areas, the small shanties are often overcrowded - creating the perfect environment for deadly contagious diseases.

Efforts

In spite of many African countries making efforts to revamp the immunization program, the report reveals that “about half the children in urban areas of sub-Saharan Africa are unregistered at birth,” meaning that most of them are also not immunized.

In fact, the report has shown that in areas where population is

high, immunization levels are often low.

Although the Convention on the Rights of Children was adopted in 1989, and recognizes universally accepted norms regarding protection and promotion of the rights of children, it has been ratified by all world nations apart from three.

Two of them are Somali and South Sudan, both in Africa.

However, there are African countries that are making tremendous efforts to make urban life friendly for children.

Morocco, in North Africa, is working on a programme dubbed ‘Cities Without Slums’, in the hope of creating homes that are children friendly.

In improving the health of mothers and children, and to reduce maternal and infant mortality, Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal are some of the African countries working under the Urban Reproductive Health Initiative.

As the world becomes increasingly urban, with over half of its population in urban areas, including more than a billion children, for many of them, the urban experience is one of poverty and exclusion. This needs not be the case.

More countries should embark on initiatives to address the plight of the African child.

Government research conducted in various slums in Nairobi has shown that out of a total of 503 health facilities used by residents of three slum communities — Korogocho, Viwandani and Kibera — only six (one per cent) were public, 79 (16 per cent) were private not-for-profit, and 418 (83 per cent) were private forprofit.

The last category, largely consisting of unlicensed clinics and maternity homes, has no working guidelines or standard protocols for services.

The most recent Kenya Health Demographic Survey shows that the infant mortality rate improved to 52 from 77 per 1,000 live births, and the under five mortality rate improving to 74 from 115 per 1,000 live births. In Uganda, the under five mortality rate stands at 130 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Uganda and Tanzania are close to a tie.

Tanzania’s infant mortality rate is about 67 deaths per every 1,000 live births, while Uganda’s infant mortality rate stands at about 63 deaths per every 1,000 live births.

Even in the challenging area of paediatrics HIV, more Kenyan children are infected. Government statistics estimate that out of the 1.4 million people living with HIV in Kenya, 180,000 of them are children, with only 40,000 them on AntiRetroviral Drugs (ARVs). This means that only a paltry 24 per cent of children in need of the life sustaining drugs have access to them.

ARVs

In Tanzania, home to about 1.4 million people living with HIV, it is estimated that there are currently 140,000 children living with HIV. Only eight percent of these children are currently receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ARVs).

In Uganda, there are about one million people living with HIV. About 146,000 of them are children, with 14 per cent being eligible for ARVs. In education, children from poor urban neighbourhoods, even those under the provision of Free Primary Education, are the least likely to get an education.

In East Africa, Uganda was ahead in implementing Universal Primary Education in 1997, and the results are encouraging. Tanzania followed in 2002 - a move that has seen the enrolment rate rise to about 96 per cent.

Kenya made a similar move in 2003, and, according to Kenya’s Ministry of Education, the enrolment rate has risen from five million children to eight million.

However, UNICEF reports show that in Tanzania, the enrolment improved only in the rural and non-slum urban areas.

Still, all these countries continue to grapple with the challenges of retaining these children in school.

Even in countries where primary schooling is free, the additional costs can leave people who live in poverty at a disadvantage. Students may have to purchase uniforms and classroom supplies, or pay fees to take exams, and these taken together are often expensive enough to prevent children from attending school.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Where gunfire has silenced the cry of newborns

By DAVID NJAGI At camp Chechelesi, on the outskirts of Isiolo town, a 20-year-old woman lies crouched on the bare floor, mourning the loss of her unborn baby. She was at her sixth month of conception.

The only comfort her mother — also an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) — could offer was three tablets of the pain killer Panadol, which she had painfully bought, and two Hedex tablets - donated by the neighbour in a nearby tent.

“My daughter’s child has died,” mourned the tearful mother, “Next to die will be my daughter.”

This is the present day Isiolo County, according to a report by the Consolata Missionaries Justice and Peace Commission (CMJPC).

The elderly men yearn for their youth so that they can fight back against the armed raids that have crippled activity in this resource endowed County, but they are too frail.

Prayers

The sick can only marshal enough strength to whisper a prayer for an early afterlife. That prayer could be answered by a stray bullet from the warring tribes, or by torture from security officers.

“Even the children do not go to school anymore,” says a teacher from Emegen Primary School, “Both pupils and teachers have virtually disap-

peared and are too scared to return.”

The health and social system have collapsed, as armed conflict between the Turkana and Borana communities paralyse a region thought to hold Kenya’s future treasure in the Northern Eastern frontier.

What started as a simple flare up in August 2010 has blown to a full-scale war, which has even left security officers groping for answers, according to the CMJPC report.

In its wake, the violence has left four camps: Shambani, Masharikwata, Game, and Kisima - hosting about 2,700 people.

Details given by the Catholic Mission in Isiolo indicate that the clashes were sparked by, among others things, the Borana’s illegal entry into the area - with thousands of camels in tow.

Attacks

“The Turkanas who had settled in the area were caught by surprise because the Boranas had weapons,” explains Father Makau, “Any resistance to prevent the animals from entering the Turkana homesteads was paid with a torched house or the shooting of a person.”

As women and children scampered for safety in protected camps, the men ran to the bushes to arm themselves in the hideouts where they hid their weapons, and so the conflict heightened.

Scores of families reside at the Chechelesi, IDP camp near Isiolo town as they await for the government to restore calm in the area. Pictures: David Njagi Attempts to seek security intervention from the government have been met with blank promises, according to the report.

“They seek for security from the government so that their stay indoors can be assured,” observes Makau, “they no longer move out of their camps for fear that their adversaries are hiding in the nearby bushes.”

Another terror lurks in the skies. According to social workers, the long rains are coming down in torrents - leaving a trail of water borne and respiratory diseases as they flood the flat terrains.

A 24-year-old mother, who was at the Game IDP camp before being relocated to the more secure Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) camp, recounts how she lost her child to pneumonia.

“My child was not sick,” she says, “we have no food, we are exposed to cold because we have no blankets and

so I suspect it was pneumonia. I was helpless as I watched her health deteriorate for two days before she died.”

But even those who found secure places to stay, like police stations, had to bear harassment from the officers, according to Theresa Székely, a social worker in North Eastern Kenya.

According to her, the longest a police station has hosted the displaced person is only ten days, after which the officers express fatigue with the villagers’ woes.

“They become a shame and blame to the officers,” says Székely. “They get evicted without consent and are ferried back to the burnt villages from where they had fled.”

The provincial administration blames local civic leaders for inciting the conflict. According to the acting Permanent Secretary for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Mutea Iringo, relief supplies are being

co-ordinated to take care of the displaced.

According to Iringo, the tensions are about power struggle, as civic leaders position their ethnic tribes to reap the resources that the proposed Isiolo resort city is expected to generate.

However, civic leaders blame the local administration for failing to intervene when the first signs of the conflict were spotted in 2010.

“The security officers know that when a general election is about to happen violence always erupts in Isiolo,” says Abduba Adho, a former councillor, “but they always do nothing, even as communities fight each other with the Government’s knowledge.”

For now, it is the women and children who feel neglected, and according to them, the administration has failed, as politicians struggle to keep a hold on Isiolo’s envisioned treasures.

Displaced children face bleak future

By ROBERT WANJALA For nine months, Joyce Chepkemboi braved the scorching sun trekking about five kilometres from her makeshift tent to attend pre-natal clinic.

When the defining moment finally came, Chepkemboi had to endure night long labour pains in her tattered tent before she delivered a bouncing baby boy.

Hers was a blissful moment on earth. But as fate would have it, her joy was cut short. ‘Pneumonia’ robbed her angel only a day after she had clutched on her bundle of joy. Chepkemboi says that death could have been averted if the government had resettled them immediately they left the Mau Forest nearly four years ago.

“We were evicted from Mau and Kipkurere forests and left to suffer in the cold by the government.Our children and elderly people have seen it all in these frayed tents,” laments Chepkemboi, as she tries to fortify her undersized tent to withstand the pounding rains that have been wrecking havoc in the country.

According to Kenya Red Cross Society, over 60 lives were lost, thousands displaced and property worth millions of shillings destroyed as a result of the heavy rains.

The story and the face of suffering is replicated across the various transit camps hosting

internally displaced persons in Uasin Gishu County and some parts of the country.

“Those bearing the brunt are mothers and children. The stark reality of child mortality rate goes unreported in many IDP camps as no health facilities are available albeit the overcrowding with no proper toilets, clean water and proper eating diet,” claims Philip Ngeny’, who is the chairman of Mau evictees who were resettled at Chemusian farm in Uasin Gishu County.

While Chepkemboi bemoans the loss of her baby, many are the challenges facing children in the shabby tents. Joseph Rono, turned four years last May. While he may be too young to comprehend anything in the tiny camp doting Chemusian farm near Eldoret town, it is obvious the future is bleak.

Like the rest of his friends, Rono is a picture of a promising youngster whose future hangs in the balance because of the unsettled lives they have to have to contend with in the cluttered tents following eviction from the country’s water towers — Mau Forest and Kipkurere — four years ago.

Education remains a distant dream for the children here.

However, with help from teaching volunteers, the children are having a glimpse of learning.

Jenifer Kogo, an Early Childhood Development (ECD)

teacher and Alice Bargero, are volunteering their skills and time on the displaced children.

Although they are also evictees, they have mobilised over 100 children age between four and seven years to whom they impart knowledge.

The learning takes place under a tree without basic materials but the two volunteers are determined to stop the cycle of a failed society that define their circumstances. “We decided to do this because the nearest schools are about five kilometres away and many of these children cannot walk the long distance,” explains Kogo. She accuses the Government of failing to ensure that children especially those evicted from their homes continue with schooling.

“We volunteer to teach these children. We have no classes and classes are always interrupted when it rains. We wish that someone could donate learning and teaching materials to help us work better,” Bargero pleads. The children learn under trees which provide shade. The few tattered canvas being used to put up a shade within the camps by evictees is greatly encouraging.

Philip Nzenge, outgoing Uasin Gishu County Children officer, notes that there has been significant improvement in school attendance. However, he decries lack of support from parents, who he claims have failed to play

Children who were displaced from the Mau Forest face an uncertain future.

Picture: Robert Wanjala their role.

“Most parents have become very irresponsible with their children. Child neglect is rife in many rural homes forcing them to run to the streets,” claims Nzenge. However, according to Bishop Wilson Kurui of Jesus Love Ministries, poverty is to blame for much family breakups. .

In many rural communities, where poverty is endemic, many children are not enrolled in school owing to their parents’ inability to finance their schooling.

Some children are enrolled but drop out when their parents face financial difficulties. He observes that quality education is not only about enrolment but also about

retention and completion.

“Many schools in the rural areas suffer poor quality of instruction, inadequate instructional materials and lack of adequate school facilities such as workshops, libraries, teaching and learning aids as well as lack of water and sanitation facilities in schools,” says Kirui.

Other constraints that worsen the divide in educational quality include long distance-walking to school, engagement in economic activity by rural school children.

Kirui blames this outcome on unfair distribution of infrastructure and social amenities. Most rural schools often cannot attract and retain teachers, neither can they attract and retain high flying

students. “It takes considerable sacrifice on the part of qualified teachers to agree to teach in rural areas,” observes Kirui.

According to Mary Kiplagat, a project coordinator with Marakwet Girls and Women Project, retrogressive practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) are to blame for the high cases of school dropout among girls.

Kiplagat says working to reverse stereotypes has led to a decline in education in the region.

“The number of school dropouts is still high and in a concerted effort all stakeholders should play their respective roles to ensure the situation improves,” she urges.

6

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Militants target children in recruitment

By ABJATA KHALIF As the world marks the Day of the African Child, thousands of innocent children from dry patched and conflict prone region of Northern Kenya and Southern Somalia are secretly being recruited into clandestine movements as soldiers to commit acts of terrorism.

The ongoing insurgence by the Kenyan security forces against the Al-shabaab militant group in Somali has forced some players in the epic battle to recruit child soldiers in fighting gruelling armed battles and attacking innocent civillians refusing to subscribe to ideals of certain armed players in the border areas.

Prolonged drought

The child soldering phenomenal in Southern Central Somalia has forced thousands of parents in northern Kenya towns of Wajir, Mandera and Garissa to be extra vigilant as fear grips the region due to the large number of children from the neighbouring Daadab refugee camp who have fallen prey to fresh recruitment drives.

The new recruitment drive is taking place as hundreds of children who were recruited and fought many battles across the border troop back to the camp that is hosting estimated 560,000 refugees.

The child soldiers recruited by Al-shabaab authority during the prolonged drought that ravaged Northern Kenya and southern Somalia fought various battles against the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) positions and later joined the battle against the Kenyan forces in Somalia.

However, most of the trained children were killed in combat and others managed to surrender to TFG forces and others made their way to the largest refugee camp in Africa, Dadaab refugee camp where they live under fear of disclosing their actions in the battlefields.

According to one youth who has returned to Northern Kenya refugee camp, life has been unbearable for the child soldiers who fought in support of Al-shabaab forces in various spots of Southern Central Somalia.

He says that he has managed to fight an estimated 20 battles against TFG forces and AlSunnaWalJamaa forces.

The child soldier who sought anonymity claimed that he was among thousands of children moving to Kenyan refugee camps when armed men attacked their convoy and detained all children (both male and female) and ordered the rest of the drought hit family members to return back Tabda, Kokaney and Badade.

Training

“We were attacked by armed men and they took many children ranging from 12 to 20 years and ordered our parents to go back from where they came from as they will not allow them to go and seek assistance from infidel regime (Kenya). They took us (children) to a camp in the remote jungle and we received military training that entailed running up and down for several kilometres and later on we were trained on how to use explosives and fixing guns in the middle of combats.’’

He stated that the female children abducted

by Al-shabaab from their convoy to Northern Kenya were taken to a separate camp where they stayed and cooked food for trainers while others aged between 15 to 20 years were married by trainers and senior commanders in the camp.

The trained child soldier admitted that after the training, he and others were deployed by Al-shabaab to fight in front positions, a situation which made most of his colleagues to lose their lives while others got hardened in the battle which they fought in different locations and fronts.

Most of the battle hardened children were later divided by the Al-shabaab between the suicide bombing division and others that enforce strict Shabaab rules in areas governed by the Islamist armed group that has declared affiliation to Al-

Children are no longer in school or out playing but instead they are forced by circumstances and the environment they are brought up in to join militia groups. They are also tasked with the role of gathering local intelligence on community mood on Al-shabaab.

Pictures: Courtesy of the Internet queda. ‘’ After we fought many battles we were divided between two groups, one to serve in the suicide bombing division and others were deployed in the Sharia enforcement division. I was posted to the enforcement division and my group was charged with the responsibility of ensuring women remain at home and they wear proper dressing and ensuring chewing of khat, a stimulant herb, is prohibited. We were also tasked with the role of punishing fornicators, adulterers, thieves and gathering local intelligence on community mood on Al-shabaab,’’ explains the exAl-shabaab child soldier who managed to escape from Badade training camp to northern Kenya refugee camp.

The child soldier further took the Reject to other child soldiers who were recruited by Al-shabaab from the three refugee camps of Ifo, Hagardere and Dagahley and they admitted to having participated in military actions in favour of the terror organisation only to escape the harsh trainings and heavy attacks from artilery, bazooka, gunfires, air raids and recent drones attacks directed at the American drone stations based in Seychelles.

One of the child soldier recruited from Dadaab refugee camp gave his name as Hassan for fear of detection by refugee agency and Kenyan security forces. He gave an exclusive interview to Reject Magazine on level of recruitments in the camps.

Agent

‘’I was recruited by an agent who approached us in the camp and I left with other young boys aged between 14 to 18 years and we were taken through various long routes before we ended up in Al-shabaab training camp across the border into Somalia. I remember we were 40 youths from Hagardere refugee camp and we were taken in batch of four children and we took dif-

ferent routes only to meet in the training camp in RasKamboni area. I received training with other youths and we were taken through basic Arabic studies so as to understand the instruction from our Arabic trainers in the camp.’’

Hassan admitted that he received comprehensive military training and he was detailed in attacking various fronts of TFG forces in various locations in Somalia. He has engaged Kenyan army in fierce fight with his comrades in various occasions before he managed to escape the terror outfit and snaked back to the refugee camp where he silently joined his family in Hagardere refugee camp.

Hassan admitted that out of the 40 children recruited and taken to battle fronts, only 19 managed to return back to the refugee camps while other groups who were recruited differently from them are slowly returning to the camp.

A youth leader in the camp further revealed that recruitment was currently ongoing in the camp and he stated that various well connected agents play critical roles in luring the children to fight in the neighbouring Somalia thus targeting young children from age of 13 to 23 years as op-

posed to their earlier strategy of recruiting from any youth and energetic men.

“They have changed their strategy and plan to indoctrinate the children who are innocent and maturing and they have recruited many as I know here in Hagardere,’’ said the youth leader who sought anonymity due to sensitivity of the matter.

This trend of child soldering has placed parents in Northern Kenya towns and villages outside refugee camps inhabited by Kenyan pastoralist Somali community on high alert, as the recruiters might target their children for forced and indoctrinated recruitment that might see families losing their children to battle fronts, terrorist acts and suicide missions.

Child soldier phenomenal is also captured in Human Right Watch report that reveals that children were being recruited to fight wars in battle fields and control areas in Somalia and that there was flow of the same youths from the training camps and battle fronts to Dadaab refugee camp.

The Human Right Watch report titled “No Place For Children” stated that 164 trained child soldiers have returned to the refugee camps from the battle fields.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

7

Letter and spirit of the law is clear on child rights

By HENRY OWINO Millions of children the world over continue to be victims of violence and exploitation in the home, at school or within the community - the very settings that are supposed to provide a protective environment for them.

Although the country is still far from ensuring that its vulnerable children enjoy their childhood, Kenya, has nonetheless made significant strides towards addressing obstacles that stand in the way of full realization of children’s rights. This has been done through the establishment of policy frameworks that are child friendly. For instance, the development of specific policies and programmes to address specific rights, such as: the provision of free and compulsory primary education to all children and the Cash Transfer Programme to assist orphans and vulnerable children, among others.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development, in collaboration with National Council for Children’s Services (NCCS), has established a Framework for a National Child Protection System for Kenya, as a product of concerted efforts and the substantive contributions of many.

Goals

The Child Protection System is a set of laws, policies, regulations and services, capacities, monitoring and oversight needed across all social sectors to prevent and respond to protection-related risks. Its goals are to support and strengthen families, to reduce social exclusion, and to lower the risk of separation, violence and exploitation.

In Kenya’s Constitution, an individual who has not attained the age of 18 is regarded as a child. The UN Convection on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) have largely been domesticated and incorporated into Kenyan law, mainly through the Children Act of 2001, and now the Constitution. The current Constitution of Kenya 2010, therefore, ushered a new era for child rights by

making special provisions for children.

For instance: Chapter Four of the Bill of Rights states that “the State shall enact and implement legislation to fulfil its international obligations in respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.” In addition, Article 53 of the Constitution is specific to children, a plus for Kenya, as children‘s rights were not mentioned anywhere in the previous constitution.

These points emerged in remarks made

by Ambassador Franklins Esipilla, who represented permanent secretary, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development Dr James Nyikal, during the official launch of the framework for Kenya at a hotel in Nairobi.

“According to the African report on Child well-being, Kenya has been placed sixth as the most child-friendly government in Africa,” Esipilla noted. She pointed out that the first reason was for putting in place appropriate legal provisions to protect children against abuse and exploitation. Secondly, it was for the commitment to allocating a relatively higher share of the national budget to provide for the needs of children. Thirdly, it was for achieving relatively favourable well-being outcomes for children.

However, Esipilla expressed concerns that, in spite of the various interventions and strategies by the government, civil society and faith based organisations, as well as private sectors, children in Kenya continue to be exposed to challenging situations in the social, economic, cultural and political arena - against the international human rights legal framework.

“Statistically, there are 2.5 million orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs). About 900 million are in child labour, including the street children, one million are out of school. The 2008 postelection crisis, and persistent cycle of drought, climate change, global financial meltdown and the rising food prices have exacerbated the vulnerability of children in Kenya,” observed Esipilla.

She reminded the public that the Child Protection System is everyone’s business, including: national and regional governments, civil society, communities, families, the private sector and

Innocence: Children across the Africa continent continue to suffer from exploitation and abuse both at home and in schools. Picture: Jane Godia children. All are needed to address child protection concerns.

“Let us all use the national toll free helpline 116 to report all cases of child abuse. This way, we shall reduce, if not end, children’s rights abuses in the country,” pleaded Esipilla.

Multi-Sectoral

According to Hellen Waweru, chairperson National Council for Children’s Services, the Child Protection System is a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary affair that requires the involvement of everyone. She emphasised this, considering that over half of the population of Kenya is constituted by children - some of who live in different situations of vulnerability.

“It is vital that Kenya has an effective and functional child protection system, which is guided by framework. The overall purpose of any child protection system is to promote the well-being of children through prevention of violence and exploitation, ensuring that in case it happens, prompt and coordinated action is taken to prevent further occurrence,” Waweru explained.

According to the violence report by the United Nations in 2006, more than 200 million children have been sexually abused. Almost 300 million have witnessed domestic violence. Waweru

observed that it was disheartening to note that adults, who are supposed to be protective to children, are at the centre of violating their rights.

She regretted that concerted efforts in addressing the challenges are adversely affecting children’s growth and development, despite various measures aimed at enhancing child care and protection.

“In spite of the noble efforts, children still remain victims of neglect, trafficking, and child labour, child poverty, abandonment, heading households, internal and external displacement among other evils that traumatise them,” Waweru lamented.

In most towns in Africa, adults are abusing children. They are ordered to beg for money and food in the streets from people, overworked (thus child labour), and forced to marry others for commercial sex in nightclubs.

The framework’s objectives are aimed at addressing the plight of children by defining the roles and functions of all stakeholders in child protection. It will also provide a framework as a reference for child protection in Kenya, to facilitate effective coordination in the provision of child protection services. It will also facilitate the reviewing and enacting of appropriate legislation and policies to effectively address issues of children.

Councils to help ease stress in children

By LUCY LANGAT “A pupil came to my office and told me he would hang himself because he had failed to attain 350 marks,” a head teacher told the Reject.

She said that the pupil was an orphan and was desperate to attain the 350 mark, so that he could be sponsored by Equity bank.

He told his head teacher that he could either allow him to repeat class eight and try to see if he could attain his target this year, or he would hang himself.

“I told him to get to class, even though he did not have a uniform or even a single book,” said the head teacher.

Luckily, the boy was later sponsored by the bank.

Francis Ndirangu, another head teacher, had to adopt a pupil who threatened to commit suicide.

“It was only by luck that the boy

spoke to me about the problems which he was experiencing under his guardians,” said Ndirangu.

The teacher had to turn into the full time parent of the orphan, who is now in Form Two at a prestigious high school.

These are some of the few cases of children’s suicidal thoughts reversed by a chance to express themselves.

Suicidal Cases However, an initiative to have a Pupils Governing Council (PGC) in all primary schools by the end of this year may bring hope of an end of rising suicidal cases among pupils.

In a recent deliberation between Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) and United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), PGC were found to be a possible cure to their psychological problems.

Will this become an end to many attempts and successful suicidal cases among children?

“Children know what is good for them. Adults, like teachers and parents, have a role of only guiding them,” says Elias Noor, a UNICEF official.

However, most schools in the country, he noted, lack a forum where children are given a chance to express themselves.

According to UNICEF, PGCs must be formed in all schools, with relevant government officials to include a president, a prime minister and ministers.

This way, Noor noted, children would have an opening to express themselves on issues concerning their education and performance.

At Narok University College Primary School, a model school cabinet has been in place for close to one year.

“Every term, the cabinet meets for a purpose, the last time we met was to make school rules,” says Frank Kibelekenya, the school’s head teacher.

Since they formed the children’s

parliament, Kibelekenya noted, a lot has changed among children, parents and teachers alike.

“Children are able to express their feelings, including grievances, through various ministries, rather than keeping issues to themselves.”

Kibelekenya introduced children’s parliament in his school to help curb strikes - little did he know it would have such a big impact, even at the primary school level.

“The change was so noticeable that even a cook commented that children no longer had problems queuing for lunch,” noted Kibelekenya.

He was giving a testimony on how the children’s parliament would work for better learning, discipline and expression in primary schools.

As he was giving his testimony with a PGC, fellow head teachers who are also members of KEPSHA listened attentively.

Some had heard the idea but never

tried it out, while others had met opposition from parents and teachers.

However, they all understood the need to have children express themselves. “It is unfortunate that children in most parts of Africa do not have a voice, even on issues fully concerning them,” noted Suguru Mizunoya, UNICEF’s chief of education.

Developing a children’s council, he noted, would not only solve their mental problems, but also prepare them to be better voters and leaders in future.

“Some children are mentally disturbed at school for lack of facilities, if there will be children’s government, then it will address their issues through relevant ministries,” said Mizunoya.

He called for a quick move towards establishing a PGC in all primary schools, as this would help ease the mental burden on stressed children.

8

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Human resource goes down the drain as students drop out of school

By OLOO JANAK David Otieno sat for his KCPE in 2011 and obtained 232 marks at a Primary School in Migori County. He has not been able to join Form One and has lost hope of continuing with his studies.

After one month at home, during which his poor parents did not know what to do, he joined the hordes of young men - some of them his former school mates - that are involved in running motorcycle (boda boda) taxi business in the outskirts of Migori town.

Otieno does not own any motorbike, and unlike his other friends, has not been assigned one by an owner. He is in a team they call “the squad”. This is a group of young people who hang around the employed motorcycle riders and quickly learn from them.

They then become errand boys (touts or manamba), who scout for passengers in the increasingly crowded and competitive business. Once the passenger is spotted and persuaded, they “borrow” the bike from the “owners” and drop off the customer at his destination. They bring back the money paid and then take a commission of a few shillings, depending on the charge for the distance.

Survival

This is how Otieno intends to survive, as he hopes to get his own motorbike or persuade new buyers to entrust one to his care. Many of them do not learn how to ride well and are often the cause of many accidents reported across the country. Specific wards at district hospitals have now been designated for motorbike accident victims.

Otieno’s is the fate of the many school drop-outs that this country’s education system churns out every year, both at Class 8 and Form Four.

It is known that around 350,000 pupils who score below 250 of the total 500 marks miss form one annually. A few may find their way into some of the district schools with barely any facilities.

However, the bulk will simply disappear into oblivion as the focus continues to be on the successful ones who get admission to secondary schools. Even then, some of those who were admitted this year have begun to lose their places at the provincial and national schools because they are not able to pay fees.

Instead the rich parents, most of who’s children have been in private schools, have taken up the form one places, especially in the recently elevated national schools, which have unfortunately increased their fees beyond the reach of the ordinary parents.

Most of the new national schools charge between KSh70,000 and KSh100,000 per year in fees, cover-

ing a broad range of cost areas some of which are cleverly inserted in the fees structures, even when they are not justified.

Joseph Oketch, who is a parent with a child in secondary school, is worried about the huge number of drop-outs: “Our children are getting ruined and we are breeding a large group of potential criminals who will destroy our society.”

Like many other Kenyans, Oketch believes there is too much focus on the pupils who score high marks and go to secondary school, at the expense of the majority -whose fate nobody cares about.

Stakeholders in the education sector feel that there is a big wastage of budding human resources from a very early age through the education system, which condemns a large number of learners to dropping off with no assured Boda boda business continues to gain popularity in Migori County. Scores of innocent students drop out of means of livelihood.

Officials of a national educa- school to make quick money in the trade. Majority become errand boys (touts or manamba), who scout for tion advocacy group, Elimu Yetu passengers in the increasingly crowded and competitive business. Picture: Reject Corespondent Coalition (EYC), have expressed grades and mean when the national common. nues for those who may not make it to concern over this trend and made Some of those who have given up secondary school or university. Many input in the new proposals recently exams body announces the results going to secondary school are often of the institutions have unbelievably tabled by the Task Force, which seeks each year. persuaded with small favours to con- low enrolments, even when they have to radically change the education tinue re-sitting the KCPE exams to facilities. Some of them lack trained system.

Cheating in exams has become part help the schools “make a name” as best instructors.

The report has already ran into However, the trend in the 1970 a barrage of criticisms, including of the game and is accepted by many performers.

Education Secretary, Prof. George and 1980s, when every region or disaccusations that the Task Force did teachers and parents, and tolerated not consult as widely as might have by the education authorities. Unfor- Godia, says the Ministry is concerned trict had to have a village polytechnic been necessary, or that some of the tunately, many schools do not know with the wastage and is working hard or some technical institute, did not recommendations may be impracti- how to “cheat well enough”, and have to deal the situation. He says that part pick up in some areas which as of cal. However, it is out for debate and their results cancelled, again leading to of the battle between the Ministry and now lack such facilities, even if school the owners of private academies is an leavers may want to join them. more stakeholders will either enrich a new category of wastage.

In one school in Homa Bay Coun- attempt to ensure that learners from With the devolved governments it or keep poking holes into it.

“Something needs to be done ty, a parent bought exams (which lo- disadvantaged areas also get access to coming up, discussions have emerged at various forums, shaping up the about the huge number of learn- cal teachers and other parents aver education at national schools.

“Education is the only way to future of devolved units about how ers who drop out at primary level. was “the real thing”). This parent Equally important is the need for shared “the cargo” (as leaked exam create equal opportunities for pu- to deal with the wastage by creating the Ministry of Education to stop the papers and the answers are known), pils from both the rich and the poor more opportunities. It is incumbent backgrounds, and we are not going upon the national government to not trend where schools raise fees that with other parents.

They got some “knowledgeable to relent in pursuing this policy,” Prof only figure out how to deal with the knock out many of those invited to join Form One out of school,” says people” to get the answers, which they Godia told a recent Media Forum in problem, but work with the incoming County Governments to standardise Chris Owalla, Elimu Yetu Coordina- shared with their sons and daughters Nairobi. who were to sit the paper. As it turned The media forum at the Hilton the approach to managing the chaltor for Nyanza.

The concern over the drop-outs out, all the coached candidates an- Hotel discussed, among others, un- lenge.

The wastage is readily seen in the is heightened by the fact that at the swered the questions the same way due media prominence and the focus primary level, the 8-4-4 system, leading to the cancelation of their on high achievers, and the apparent boda boda sector - where many of demonization of the weak performers the youth are dying through accicontrary to its declared goal of be- results.

Some of the parents wept when the - which resulted in some committing dents or getting maimed - the sugar ing practical oriented, has never industry as cane cutters, the gold given the learners any particular results for Kiswahili were cancelled. suicide. digging belts of Migori County, Kaskills that can enable them survive Some of the candidates have dropped kamega, Siaya, Transmara, and other in life if they leave school at that out of school while others have been persuaded to repeat Standard Eight Various government initiatives, mining areas, the coffee and tea point. including the improvement of ter- growing areas, and in the hordes of In many rural schools, there and re-sit the exams.

Among this group are those who tiary institutions such as technical young people lining up at the gates of are no basic facilities, and, therefore, most of the learning is largely sat for KCPE in 2010, and either institutes and village polytechnics, industrial enterprises in Nairobi and theoretical. A large number sit for passed, but failed to raise fees to go to have not significantly addressed the other major urban centres, waiting the KCPE exams with barely any secondary, or had lower grades and issue of this wastage through early for casual jobs daily.

These sectors still require workers, mastery of any subject, not even the hoped they would in 2011 get better drop-outs.

True, some of the institutions have but these should be those who have two key languages, Kiswahili and ones to gain them admission in good schools. been revamped, but a large number gone through structured training to English.

The scenario where those who pass have not been improved from the enable them get gainful employment Because of the exam orientation, every school and its teachers are in- but fail to join secondary are persuad- many years of neglect that made par- and not be subjected to inhuman volved in a rat race, by hook or by ed to repeat, either hoping for some ents and students develop negative at- labour conditions that make them frustrated and angry - turning them crook, including eliminating weak well wishers to pay their fees next time titudes towards them.

Again, there has not been serious to instant destructive demonstrators learners or importing bright students or join Starehe Boys (many people in who failed to join secondary, to re-sit the rural areas still believe learning at career guidance and marketing of during political conflicts and crime as exams in their schools to “boost” the Starehe is free and admission easy!), is these institutions as alternative ave- ways of survival.

Acceptance

Tertiary Institutes

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

9

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Why sexuality must be part of school curriculum

By JANE GODIA While there has been notable progress towards empowering the girl child in Africa, particularly in regard to sexuality, efforts and interventions have mainly revolved around sensitizing them on ways that they can delay sexual debut - whose positive impact on early pregnancies cannot be over emphasised.

Still, progress has been slow and largely uneven, as can be seen in countries such as Benin. Take CEG Dangbo, for example, a mixed secondary national school that holds about 2,655 students deep in Benin, 20 kilometres from the capital city of Porto Novo.

While the school prides itself in being a national school, high dropout rates paint a sad picture of the situation of the girl child.

The girl child remains vulnerable to traditional and cultural practices, such as early marriages, that are archaic and discriminatory. While the situation in Benin looks bleak, it is unfortunately not an isolated situation. It paints a true story of what is happening to girls in the continent. Tradition and culture remain like handcuffs, holding them to a life of eternal poverty and desperation.

According to Kouakanou Dossou Grégoire, deputy director at the school, the drop-out rate remains high - as parents feel challenged spending money on girls for too long, and hence force them out of school.

Traditional Beliefs

“Female students are leaving school or dropping out because they lack a source of living,” says Kouakanou. He adds: “Parents force girls out of school because of traditional beliefs which are held highly.”

Every year about 20 girls will leave school, out of these three or four will be pregnant. The school, which has seven academic years, will have about 500 girls in year one, but by the time this lot gets to year seven, only about 150 girls will have remained.

The number of female teachers is equally low. Out of 200 teachers at the school, only 12 are female.

According to Kouakanou this is because of the high dropout rate. Most girls have not completed school and cannot go into tertiary college for teacher training.

Even though the school allows the girls to stay, the dropout rate remains alarming. “We do not send them away. Instead we allow them to stay until when they are ready to deliver,” Kouakanou explains.

While in Kenya the one who has impregnated a girl student will be left Scott free, in Benin, a teacher who impregnates a student will be forced to resign and will then be charged in a court of law. If the girl is impregnated by a fellow student, the boy is expelled from school. If parents know that a teacher has impregnated a student, the first step is for the school to report to the police station, and then the teacher is charged before the law.

Due to challenges in sexual and reproductive health, the school is doing a lot towards sensitising the students on early pregnancies, as well as risks of HIV and sexually transmitted infections.

“Voluntary counselling and testing is done, and even if a student is

Top photo: Female students at CEG Dangbo. African school girls face challenges in learning institutions that range from lack of sanitary towels, to pregnancy, to early marriage, among others. Pictures: Jane Godia found to be HIV positive the school is not informed,” says Kouakanou.

The school has taken steps in attempting to reduce cases of girls getting pregnant. It is in collaboration with non-governmental organisations and other associations to create

“Girls who fall pregnant when in school are stupid. They are not aware of the consequences. They should go for even the cheap condoms which are easily available.”

— Madine Alvine, 18 year old student at CEG Dangbo school in Benin

awareness among female students on how to protect themselves from getting pregnant. Among these is the Association Beninosie Pour La Promotion de la Famille (ABPF), which translates to Benin Association of Family Empowerment. The organisation is the country arm of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Africa Region. The project encourages young people to delay sexual debut, but if they must have sex then it must be protected to save them from infections and early pregnancies.

The school, as a learning institution, is aware that young people are at risk and so they are taught about sex and early pregnancies. “This is done for both male and female students,” says Kouakanou.

However, the school administration has been pressing on girls to delay sexual debut and keep virginity. However, there are girls who end up having sex at a very early age. According to Kouakanou, there are girls as young as nine years old who are already engaging in sex.

Poverty

Poverty has been blamed for being a main determinant in the reason why girls do not complete education.

Kouakanou says that most parents do not provide their daughters with the required basic necessities. “This is a major cause of dropout,” he notes.

However, the head teacher regrets that even when a girl falls pregnant and moves in with the man who impregnated her, this cannot be referred to as marriage.

“Early marriage is not what we see. Marriage must be planned. It is a time that a man and a woman must sit together and plan how they

are going to live together,” observes Kouakanou.

This is because girls remain vulnerable to biological and physical changes. Girls whose physique has developed quickly end up being attracted to men. These are the ones

who end up getting pregnant while still in primary school.

“Some of them start having sex before they get to high school. However, while teachers try to salvage the situation before things get worse, some parents are not cooperative.

When a girl gets pregnant and the teachers alert the parents, some parents get very angry and do not want anything to do with the girl. These are the girls who move in with the boyfriends, in a relationship that cannot be called marriage,” notes Kouakanou.

Early Sex

“When a girl gets pregnant and the teachers alert the parents, some parents get very angry and do not want anything to do with the girl. These are the girls who move in with the boyfriends in a relationship that cannot be called marriage.”

— Kouakanou Dossou Grégoire, Deputy Director, CEG Dangbo school in Benin

Girls like 15 year old Zinguede Laurette and 18 year old Madine Alvine know the risks of engaging in early sex.

While Zinguede does not have a boyfriend and is still a virgin, Madine has a boyfriend and is already having sex.

Zinguede dreams of being a lawyer, and would like to complete school. However, she advocates for safe sex. “As a girl you should protect yourself while in school,” she says.

However, Madine, who started having sex when she was 17 years, says sex is forbidden for children but it is not bad. However, she says that one must be careful. “Girls who fall pregnant when in school are stupid. They are not aware of the consequences. They should go for even the cheap condoms, which are easily available,” Madine reiterates.

While social issues, which include culture and poverty, remain major determinants, it is clear that the girl child in Africa needs help. She must be saved from early pregnancy and marriage, which are huge setbacks, to be allowed to curve a career that will get her out of the poverty cycle.

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ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Years have gone by, yet their dreams will not die

By STEVE MUCHERU They might have missed out on the recent corporate sponsorship to pursue their secondary education, but the duo of John Njau Kuria and Anthony Gitau are biding for their time.

Bubbling with confidence, they have taken a step that only a few of their determined agemates are likely to pursue. Being young adults, they have decided to retrace their steps and have officially joined Standard Eight at Ngeya Primary School in the outskirts of Maai Mahiu - tied together in academic shackles.

The well thought-out and bold choice will, perhaps in the meantime, prove to be a life-changer and a springboard to greater achievements later in their lives.

Kuria, who is 23 years old, has been a conductor as he navigated through life obstacles, while his colleague, Gitau, aged 18, has been a herder, looking after animals in the rough terrain of Maai Mahiu and earning peanuts.

Living a contrasting lifestyle, they have both experienced difficult days occasioned by a deprived background that has virtually made it impossible for the two to realise their childhood dreams.

Whether it is a telepathic reaction or just fate that has thrust them together remains to be seen, but an education kitty initiative by corporate bodies, dubbed the “Wings to Fly”, was key to the pair’s decision.

Scholarship

The initiative, which has seen pupils from humble background get scholarship to pursue their secondary education, has proved to be a focal point for their unanimous verdict.

Having scored 399 points after sitting for a Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in 2002, Kuria, commonly referred to as “preacher”, was keen to break the jinx in the family of ten that has seen none of the siblings join secondary school.

“No one in our family has ever stepped inside a secondary school. I was keen to break the blip,” recalls Kuria.

However, his ambition hit a dead end after his peasant parents failed to raise his secondary school fees. With his dreams shattered, it was time to take an alternative, yet challenging, route.

Having been a preacher since his childhood, it appeared an easier option, but the road proved rocky due to lack of academic credentials. “I had at least to have a secondary school certificate to pursue a diploma in a theological course,” he explains with a deflated ego.

Bereft of options, the amiable Kuria started hustling through life in a bid to get a footing, and ended up doing menials jobs until he was of an age to secure a job in the matatu sector as a conductor.

“I juggled between preaching and life on the

Day of the African Child

road as I sort a roadmap that could shape my destiny,” said Kuria.

After a decade, he is now finding solace in a class of 40 in the sun baked and dusty Ngeya School, but remains unperturbed. Though physically bigger than most of his colleagues, Kuria is philosophical.

Goals

“I have set my goals, and with the Wings to Fly initiative, the sky in the limit. I want to be a beneficiary of the ambitious programme come the end of the year,” he explains.

Having sat for his school based examination, Kuria has shown flashes of brilliance. The results have been impressive.

Gitau’s path has perhaps been murkier, having been forced to drop out of school while in Form Two at Turasha Secondary School - after his single mother failed to raise school fees.

“I sat for my examination in 2008 and scored 295 points and managed to briefly join secondary school,” he says during the interview.

The last born in a family of eight was optimistic of finishing his academics, but his ambition was curtailed after his mother’s financial fortunes took a tumble. “My mother made it clear that she could no longer afford to pay school fees. It was like a bomb-shell,” recalls the teenager.

This was after Gitau travelled more than 20 kilometres to reach his formal school. “I used to trek to and fro.”

With the life in his native Kinangop area becoming unbearable, he took a long trip to Kinangop where he secured a job as herdsboy for close to two years. It was a trying time for the ambitious Gitau.

Career

“It was a blow to my dreams. I never envisaged herding animals but always thought of pursuing accountancy, my childhood career of choice,” says Gitau bitterly.

However, a window of opportunity seems to have opened for him. “I want to make the best out of my predicament and become a beneficiary,” asserts Gitau.

More mature and focused, Gitau believes he will make the sponsorship cut come the end of the year. “I will, literary bury myself in books,” he says.

The school head teacher, Peter Ndegwa Wangai, hailed the duo, saying their story was likely to inspire many people to pursue formal

“I juggled between preaching and life on the road as I sort a roadmap that could shape my destiny. I had at least to have secondary school certificate to pursue a diploma in a theological course.”

— John Njau Kuria

(From top), Determination: John Njau Kuria, 23, a former conductor follows keenly as a teacher at Ngeya Primary School in the outskirts of Maai Mahiu explains a point.

He has decided to go back to school in a bid to reclaim his dream in education after he dropped out at class eight, due to lack of fees. Undeterred: Kuria and his friend Anthony Gitau, 18, a former herder will not relent in their quest for education until they clinch the scholarship program initiated by corporate bodies across the country.

Pictures: Steve Mucheru education. “Just like it was with the free primary education where pupils flocked to school, the Wings to Fly is a boon to education in the country,” says the head teacher.

He hails their level of commitment and mental attitude, saying it would motivate their peers

to scale to greater heights and take their education seriously. “They have demonstrated a very strong resolve to better their lives,” he adds.

Wangai says he did not hesitate to give the two a chance after realising their thirst for better education.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Innovative teenager keeps lions at bay

By CAROLYNE OYUGI African children are known to be innovative and adapt to situations that fate offers. Richard Turere, a 13-year old Kenyan boy is a typical example of an African child who does not whine about his problems.

Instead he looks for solutions.

The unique aspect about his solution is that it provides a win-win situation. Like any other boy born in a pastoralist community, Turere spends a good part of his time taking care of livestock.

This task, has, however, not been easy. Their home in Embakasi is very close to Nairobi National Park. This means that Turere frequently encounters lions and has witnessed their cattle being attacked by the wild animals, leading to their numbers reducing.

People retaliate against lions when their livestock are killed, and so the number of Kenya’s main tourist attraction animal decline tremendously. Their numbers have declined from an estimated 400,000 in the 1940s to as few as 20,000 today.

Two years ago, Turere innovated a device that would save them from the losses they have been incurring due to the death of their animals.

Flash Lights

“I realised that the animals only attack at night, when it is dark and no one is awake. Since we have no electricity we usually walk with a flashlight to see our way. This also scares away wild animals,” explained Turere, adding that he decided to create something that would give the lions the impression that someone is walking, even when they are all asleep.

“I hate lions because I have seen what they have done to our cattle, but I also know how important they are to our economy and our heritage, so as much as I wanted to keep them off, I did not want to get rid of them,” he says.

He notes that lions are naturally afraid of people, and so he concluded that lions equate torches with people.

To manage his idea, Turere collected l.e.d. bulbs from broken flashlights and made an automated lighting system of four or five torch bulbs around the cattle boma.

Wiring

He then wired the bulbs to a box with switches, and to an old car battery charged with a solar panel that operates the family television set.

The lights point outwards into the darkness. They flash in sequence giving the impression that someone is walking around the cattle area.

This simple system, according to Turere, has given them peaceful nights. For the past two years and they have never experienced a lion attack.

Wildebeest and zebra leave the park as soon as rains start in search of sweet short grass. Lions then follow these prey animals into

11

Children learn to fight malaria at an early age

By ALEX NDIRANGU

the vast dispersal area.

Since that is the same area where the pastoralists bring their animals to graze, it creates humananimal conflict. The lions kill the livestock, which are easier prey for them, while the pastoralists kill the lions, which they consider to be their enemies.

The Nairobi National Park has 24 adult lions (8 adult males and 16 lionesses), 8 sub-adults (between 2.5- 3 years; 7 males and 1 female) and at least 8 cubs (varying below 1 year of age). They are all known individually.

The Nairobi Park lions are especially vulnerable because they are surrounded by a rapidly growing urban environment.

In December 2011 and January 2012, the local community killed three lions in retaliation for stock killed. A number of different park lions in the Kitengela triangle south of the park killed 18 cows, 85 sheep and goats, and 14 donkeys since the onset of the short wet season (November – December).

National Geographic

Wildlife Direct, with funding from the National Geographic Big Cats Initiative, discovered Turere when they were looking for ways to reduce the human’s lion conflict.

In partnership with the Friends of Nairobi National Park (FONNAP), they started a community lion project in an effort to understand the problem and find a practical solution.

When John O’Connor, a director at Brookhouse, learnt about Turere’s amazing invention he offered him a full scholarship at the prestigious Brookhouse International School.

According to his mentor, Paula Kahumbu, who is very passionate about wildlife conservation, Turere performs extremely well in his new school - especially in science and soccer.

He is thrilled with the school.

He is also funny, curious, and bold.

He loves science and inventions and is looking forward to playing soccer and making friends. He plans to be an aeronautical engineer and is already working very hard towards achieving that goal.

From top: Richard Turere with his friend in the new school. A drawing that illustrates how the lion light works. Turere taking care of their livestock. The teenage boy invented a device that will keep the lions away from the livestock and save the government millions of shillings. Pictures: Wildlife Direct Turere has been tinkering with electronics since he was a small boy. He has many inventions, but cannot explain where he learned about electronics. He believes that maybe the ideas came from God. Turere’s story has reached over 33,000 websites, and he has been invited to audition for TED. TED is a non-profit devoted to ideas worth spreading. It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, and Design.

Turere has already installed the lion lights system in six of their neighbours’ bomas.

According to the Kenya Wildlife Service report, human wildlife conflict has cost the Government KSh71 million in compensation in 2011 alone.

Turere’s little device costs a few shillings, and has saved both his father tens of cattle and donors several thousand dollars in consolation.

The invention is also easy and

quick to install and maintain. To Turere, he was just doing his job protecting the herds.

His father is very proud of him.

“He has always been interested in electronics and he has also been electrocuted severally, but he never gave up,” he said.

Turere is happy that stock thieves will also think twice about visiting a homestead where it appears as if someone is awake.

Turere’s invention is getting global and local attention on inventors’ websites, like Afrigadget and Make Magazine. The National Geographic Big Cats Initiative, Wildlife Direct and FONNAP are now looking at how to scale up the use of the lion lights, which can be used in combination with fences and other deterrents.

Turere experienced a number of electrocutions as he was experimenting. That did not deter him.

He encourages all young people to continue trying and never give up.

It is early afternoon at Rianyachuba Primary School.

In one of the classes gathers a group of 60 pupils, ready for the week’s health club session. Today they are focusing on malaria, the major health challenge in Gucha District, classified as highland epidemic prone.

After free distribution of lessos branded with anti-malaria messages by Merlin, an NGO conducting anti-malaria projects in the area, the day’s lesson starts.

The children dramatise a typical visit to a nurse in a local dispensary.

A heated argument ensues between the patient and the nurse on the causes of malaria. The patient argues that he might have been bewitched, especially in this region where a majority of residents believe in witchcraft.

The pupils also learn about various methods of malaria control, with an emphasis on the need to seek medical attention once they develop malaria symptoms.

This project is under the behaviour change and communications strategy, where every child is expected to reach five more children and communicate to them what they learn in the health club after every session. “The other children are then told to pass the health messages to five more fellow pupils and to their family members at home,” explains Rachael Ogembo, club patron teacher.

Since then, the 60 member club at Rianyachuba Primary School in Gucha District has been holding weekly sessions.

Here they learn and hold discussions on how to prevent and control malaria, how to detect malaria symptoms early enough and the need to seek treatment early enough.

Their school, which is built near a swamp, offers an excellent demonstration ground for the health club on how to control and prevent malaria.

“Almost every child here claims to have at one time been infected with malaria, since this is an endemic area. Many students used to skip school after being infected with malaria but the cases have become fewer due to the messages passed through the club which have eventually spread to the whole school and eventually to the community,” says Mescaline Ochembo, the co- patron.

Evelyn Kerubo, 14, a class seven pupil and the leader of the health club at her school, talks of her experiences. “I have learnt how to protect myself and my family from malaria by sleeping under treated mosquito nets every night. We have also learnt how to use locally available materials to keep off mosquitoes from our houses by burning cow dung,” she explains.

“We have also been taught on the need to cover any stagnant water in the compound and closing the door and windows after 6pm to keep off mosquitoes,” notes Brian Matuna, also a member of the club.

At the end of the session, there in an uproar as the pupils unanimously make a declaration: “Mbu nje, sisi ndani, tumeangamiza malaria (We will sleep under treated mosquito nets, we have conquered malaria).”

However, despite the massive communication that has led to behaviour change, ineffective distribution on insecticide treated nets has hampered effective control of malaria infections.

“Most of the families in this area are poor and cannot afford mosquito nets. It is indeed a fact that about 85 per cent of pupils have no nets,” says Ogembo, urging the Government to urgently distribute nets as earlier promised.

This is because the previous policy only focused on pregnant woman and children under five years.

However, with the change of the policy to universal coverage, everyone living in malaria endemic areas in Kenya will receive nets. A mass net distribution has been planned for 2012 from the support of the government and various partners.

12

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Beads for sex leaves girls enslaved to Morans

By MWANGI NDIRANGU She embraces the children and when she looks up, her voice is emotional.

“Had it not been for my Godlyguided intervention, these two would have died secretly and forgotten,” says Hellen Leison, popularly known as Mama Riziki.

All indications are that she is the children’s biological mother. When she narrates her story, though, one realises the dangers that stalk “unwanted babies” of the indigenous Samburu community. Yet these babies are fruit of sanctioned relationships between the community’s warriors (morans) and young girls aged between 10 and 15.

Condemned

The two children that Leison now calls her own were condemned to die.

She rescued one from a laga (seasonal river) where it had been dumped, and arrived just as some women prepared to administer a concoction of concentrated tobacco to end the life of the second one. They were regarded as outcasts.

Outcasts are considered as likely to bring bad omen to the family, mainly because they are born by children (uncircumcised girls). To avoid the bad omen, they have to be eliminated.

Eliminating the babies entails throwing the newborns to the forest to die on their own, or be mauled by wild animals. The lucky ones are given to anyone who is not afraid of being affected by the curse, which the community believes hangs in their midst ready to strike.

At her home near Ol Donyiro Township, in Isiolo County, Mama Riziki goes about her daily chores unperturbed that some members of the Samburu community have branded her an outcast.

The two children, a girl (aged nine) and a boy (aged 6), have been enrolled at a local school. For now they have no idea about their dark history, and faithfully call Leison mum.

“I think I must be among the very few women from Samburu who have gone against the grain and accepted to live with children rejected by their families. Dozens who have survived have been adopted by Turkanas, since it is believed that the bad omen cannot affect people from other communities,” explains Mama Riziki.

While the two survived because of Mama Riziki’s timely intervention, others have not been so lucky. Even more are likely to die owing to an old cultural practice that has refused to fade away.

How then do the girls who have not been married get pregnant? The practice is called beading, or in the local dialect Nkishoorot ee sayen. In it, a Moran gives beads to a girl. These beads signify an engagement, not for future marriage, but for an intimate sexual relationship.

Once a girl has been beaded, her

mother proceeds to build her a hut, called singira, a few meters from her manyatta. From then on, the Moran can sneak in at any time of the night for unprotected sex and leave before dawn.

In most cases, the Moran comes from the same clan as the beaded girl. This means he cannot marry her, though he continues deriving sexual pleasures with the family’s full blessings.

While the ‘couple’ is allowed to have unprotected sex, pregnancy is forbidden. Condoms, or other contraceptives, however, are not used due to their unavailability and the prevailing cultural beliefs. Natural methods are employed to prevent conception, and the Moran is expected to adhere to them. In the cases where conception does occur, the pregnancy has to be terminated despite the high risks involved. If the baby survives until birth, it has to be discarded.

For the naïve girl who conceives, she has to endure both physical and psychological trauma for the rest of her life. Mepukori Lekula from Lengurma Village of Isiolo County was once beaded. She conceived and has lived with the scars.

“The pain I felt as women forced the foetus out of my womb is still fresh in my mind. I had been beaded for two years and then got pregnant. I remember I was going to the river when a group of women accosted me, forced me to the ground and the next thing I felt were many hands all over my abdomen,” recalls Lekula.

“They were using their palms to feel my unborn child and later they started applying pressure using their elbows on my womb. After a few minutes they used their heels and the foetus came out,” she explains.

“After this incident, I removed the beads I had been given by the Moran and threw them away. I was not ready to endure such pain again, though I was lucky the forced abortion did not make me barren since I still got married and have children,” Lekula explains.

She notes: “I would not want my daughters to be beaded because the process of abortion is too painful for anyone to undergo.”

Lekula says: If I were to be asked, beaded girls should be circumcised so that if they conceive, children born out of this relationship can be accepted by the community and forced abortion will die out.”

Scars

While affected women live with the scars of forced abortion or the psychological torture of killing their babies to conform to culture, some, like Noolngiro Leparmarai, from Mokorri village (also in Isiolo) feel the time is not yet ripe to discard this cultural practice.

“Beading is a good thing. I was beaded for several years and later got married to my present husband. Before I got beaded, the Moran first consulted my

brothers and my mother. When they agreed, he went ahead and gave me beads,” says Leparmarai. She observes: “The only disadvantage is that one is not allowed to get children with the warrior. I would like my girls to be beaded, though I would not know what to do if one of them got pregnant. This culture is not ending soon. It is our tradition and it should continue.”

According to a Samburu elder, Mzee Lemeriwas, beads will remain part of Samburu culture.

He explains that women and girls value beads, which they use for adornment purposes. That is probably why a good number are reluctant to denounce the beading practice.

“Beads are not valued for beauty, but also for its significance in traditional ceremonies, such as the warriors’ rite of passage,” notes Lemeriwas.

The various colours of the beads among Samburu symbolise different aspects of the Samburu pastoral lifestyles. Red signifies bravery, strength and unity. Blue and green represent the water and grass that is so crucial to the health of the Samburu cattle herds. White denotes purity and health because it’s the colour of the milk that nourishes the community. Black symbolises the people, colours of the gourds and the natural hardships that denotes Samburu’s way of life.

Mzee Lemeriwas agrees that elders are the custodians of culture, but is quick to add that beading is a women’s affair and men are rarely consulted.

However, he thinks the surest way of fighting this tradition is through educating both the girl and boy child.

While many empathise with beaded girls for the likely consequences, the girls actually love it when a warrior comes along to present her with the red beads. Many of the young girls openly support the practice, while some are not ready to discuss it when they realise outsiders view it negatively.

They have no idea what goes on in the outside world, since, a big number of those residing in the Ol Donyiro division, life revolves around taking care of goats, collecting firewood and fetching water. Once they reach puberty, and after undergoing Female Genital Mutilation, they are now ready for marriage. Most of them have never even stepped into a classroom.

On their part, the morans feel this practice should continue, though at times they have found themselves on the receiving end of beading matters.

Early this year, a Moran from Kipsing was beaten by his colleagues and left for dead for allegedly having an

Scores of young girls in Samburu community are adorned with beads but this does not signify an engagement for future marriage. It allows Morans to derive sexual pleasures with the girls at the behest of their families. However in cases where conception does occur, the pregnancy has to be terminated despite the high risks involved.

If the baby survives until birth, it has to be discarded.

Pictures: Mwangi Ndirangu intimate affair with an already beaded girl. He spent four days in the forest without food until he crawled to a village and was taken to hospital.

However, such incidents do not discourage his colleagues. Nkeres Lemooli, a Moran from Mokorri village, says beading brings social order in the community.

Lemooli has beaded a girl for eight Samburu seasons (three years) now, and says there is nothing wrong with this practice. He is quick to add that he will allow his son to bead a girl as

well. He cites one of the major advantages of beading as being the assurance to the elders that the young, energetic and unmarried warriors will not sneak into the beds of married wives at night.

To him, beading prevents promiscuity among the young warriors since they stick to one girl.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Poor infrastructure derails Government efforts to curb vice in Samburu

By MWANGI NDIRANGU While the beading practice and its consequences has been going on for many years, nothing much has been done by the Government.

Government officials know of this practice, but the rough terrain, insecurity and lack of facilities like schools and heath centres has hampered efforts to fight this vice.

There is no proper road network connecting Ol Donyiro and Isiolo town. Those who wish to visit the district headquarters must go through Nanyuki town, pass through Meru County and then to Isiolo.

“We know this practice is rife. In fact I have two victims of beading in the list of 22 girls that I have rescued from marriage and taken to school,” says a Kipsing sublocation assistant chief.

Prosecution

He notes that a few parents have been prosecuted over violations of the rights of the child but there is still a long way to go to win this fight.

“One of the major challenges we face here is poor transport system, such that even if you seek assistance from the children’s office in Isiolo, it is hard for them to come over since this place is far and only a four-wheel vehicle can conquer this terrain,” explains the administrator.

According to Jane Naini, founder of Samburu Women Trust, beading of girls is a human rights violation. It stands against the rights of the child, the Constitution, and other international instruments that protect and uplift rights of children and women.

She says this practice directly conflicts with the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). “It threatens the achievement of the first six MDG goals, namely: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, and combating HIV/AIDs, malaria, and other diseases,” she observes.

Naini, who hails from the Samburu community, says the UN Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC), one of the most widely signed and ratified international conventions, grants all children their rights in relation to education, health, survival, development, and protection from sexual and other forms of exploitation.

To confront this practice, Naini says, the government should come out strongly and effectively implement the available legislations.

She says the Government should work closely with community and faith based organisations in the affected areas to jointly carry out civic education geared towards silencing what she calls the “genocide in our midst”.

“Dissemination of information to the local people through dialogue will work.

Jailing parents is wrong, since this will only cause tension, while a friendly approach will create a positive social change from within,” she says.

13

Society condemns children born of incestuous relationships

By SHEM SUCHIA Christine was only 14 when she gave birth to a baby boy with her 20 year-old boyfriend who is a first cousin. Her parents scolded her as it was considered a taboo to have a child with one’s close relative. As such, they arranged to eliminate the child. The only way they could easily do so without raising eyebrows was to marry her off in a far-flung village.

When the baby was two-months old, Christine’s poor family organised for her marriage to a 46 year-old village bachelor who was unable to maintain a marriage on grounds that he couldn’t sire a child. Christine’s unwanted child, they reasoned, would undoubtedly be welcomed by the man.

Initially, the man gladly took in both the mother and child. Hardly a month later, things changed after the man grew cold towards the infant. One day Christine left the baby under the care of her husband. However, when she came back, the husband was nowhere to be seen.

Mother in law

Inside, her baby lay pale with breathing difficulties. Christine rushed to her mother-inlaw’s hut and alerted her. But she was unmoved and instead told her that a simple back massage would bring the baby back to life. A neighbour eventually helped her take the baby to the hospital in Bumula, Busia County where it was confirmed that the man had attempted to strangle the baby.

Medical reports showed that the baby had been diagnosed with multiple fractures and had suffered broken ribs and neck.

Although, the case initially passed as one of the much familiar incidents of child abuse rampant in the area, counter evidence later emerged to the effect that the man’s action was driven by pressure from his family to eliminate the infant because it was considered a bad omen.

The man’s family reasoned that the presence of the child at the home could only mean that he will not be able to have a child of his own with Christine.

Although the baby has since recovered from the injuries, the man is still at large. Christine now lives with a distant relative where the stigma attached to her child is less pronounced.

Among traditionally-inclined members of the Luhya community in Western Kenya, such children are considered ‘lesser’ beings, and could be abandoned for the dead, if not out rightly killed at birth or soon thereafter. The reasons advanced for such moves are as shocking as they are varied.

Mary Makokha, who heads Rural Education and Economic Empowerment Programme (REEP), explains that in cases where a woman gets married after having a baby boy out of wedlock, there is usually misconceived beliefs that such children will steal the luck of life for the ‘legitimate’ children, or are assumed to bring some bad omen. “Consequently, they have to be eliminated,” Makokha regrets.

Nowhere else is this more pronounced than in Nambale and Butula Districts in Busia County. There is a common belief that a man marrying a woman with a male child he never sired would bring ill-luck on himself if he ever holds the baby directly on his lap. Doing so, they believe, may prevent the man from siring a son of his own with the baby’s mother.

The other case is of a six year-old at Mung’abo, Tingolo village of Butula District.

His mother got married and they moved to Nairobi. Together they were blessed with a son.

However, the newly born baby died barely five months later after developing some cough.

The man’s family would hear none of it. They

had their own unconventional explanation to the death. And what else could that be other than the presence of the six-year old at the home?

“When the baby died, they said my illegitimate son was a jinx because when we lived in Nairobi, my husband used to carry him on his lap though his parents had repeatedly warned him against it,” the mother said.

She had come to REEP’s offices in Butula to seek help to rescue her son.

“I fear for him,” she stated, but indicated she was not ready to leave her marriage.

Luckily for her, REEP managed to put her son into an orphanage, just like they have done with several others.

“But not all stories have a happy ending when the child involved is rescued,” notes Makokha.

Recently, a local teacher slashed his four year-old step son to death. It had been alleged that although the man had successfully pressurised the wife to return the boy to her parents for custody, he wanted the wife to completely cut any links with the boy.

Incest

A boy who was rescued by REEP. Mary Makokha, who heads Rural (REEP) demonstrating how they have been able to help many children who would have been killed by their relatives. Pictures: Shem Suchia

He went to his in-laws home where he carried out the heinous act. Although the man was arrested, he was released under unclear circumstances shortly thereafter and has since gone underground.

One particular group of the so-called ‘taboo children’ suffering in silence comprises those born out of incestuous relationships. It happens that a man conceives with a close-blood relative, and given that such acts are frowned by the society, the offspring of such relationships is seen through the prism of taboo and bad omen.

Given that killing the infant is a taboo in itself, some are abandoned with a relative or dumped in an orphanage.

From customary point of view, incest is abominable, and any child born sired through incest is treated as such, as are the parties involved.

Although statistics are hard to come by, it is evident that most children’s homes and orphanages across Western Kenya are testament to the widespread incestuous relationships given the presence of high numbers of such children whose real background can be traced to incest.

REEP’s experience in handling these chil-

dren is that there are instances where mothers conspire with their husbands and families to get rid of the children. Such women are informed by the desperate bid to save their marriages.

“The children are either murdered in cold blood or through magic using bizarre methods,” Makokha explains, citing the case of a woman who came to her office crying hysterically because she had caught her husband ‘casting a death spell on her son’. As fate would have it, the baby died thereafter.

“But whether the cause of the death was because of the despicable acts or it was a natural death is hard to tell although the villagers strongly believed it had something to do with the former.”

Such are the misconceptions in the society in regard to these children who end up being stigmatized and even killed,” avers Makokha.

Article 53 stipulates the rights of every child including to basic nutrition, shelter and healthcare. The law protects children from abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices, all forms of violence and inhuman treatment and punishment among other things. But notably, the constitution stipulates that the responsibility for the out of wedlock child lies on both parents. Anybody choosing to marry a woman with a child would, therefore, be expected to assume responsibility.

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ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

More and more children now finding a home in the streets

By Martin Murithi A group of women medical practitioners has urged the government to take the responsibility and seek ways of containing and removing street children from Meru Town.

Kinoru medical women group led by their chairperson Eunice Mboroki called upon the government to team up with other like minded organizations to seek a permanent solution to

the menace of street children who are growing up and indulging into various forms of crime.

“It’s unfortunate that there are many street children in Meru Town and the number is rising. The little we can do as a medical group is encourage family planning because it’s not ethical for any mother to give birth and leave a child in the streets”, said Mboroki.

She said they are advising the

young women to shun unwanted pregnancies and are training them on the need of promoting togetherness in the family so that the parents can be able to take care of the children.

She says they have bestowed upon themselves the need to revert to the former Meru Culture which has vanished because previously girls were not having babies before they were married and nowadays

it’s no longer a norm and has turned to be a normal occurrence in many families.

“The parents are busy looking for money and don’t have time for their families leaving their children to indulge in drugs. As mothers we are advocating for family planning and health messages to girls so that they can be married when they are prepared”, adds Mboroki.

She was speaking when the wom-

en group visited Thelyan children’s home in Meru town and gave them foodstuffs and money as support.

“We decided to give back to the society by taking care of community through services like free medical camps which we do in collaboration with ministry of health and lions club. We identify and verify the needy people in the society and support them by contributing our own money,” She said.

For Collins Ekiru, the road to justice has been long and gruelling

By ABISAI AMUGUNE Collins Ekiru has never met Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, but should he be lucky to meet him, he would narrate to him an incident that has almost left him paralysed.

Ten-year-old Ekiru, from Rafiki Village, Saboti Constituency, Trans Nzoia County, would be equally happy if he told the same story to his Member of Parliament, Eugene Wamalwa, who is also the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

On November 16, 2008, Ekiru, who was by then six years old, was knocked down by a matatu near Kiungani market. It was along the Kitale-Webuye road, where he had gone to hawk merchandise to supplement his family’s income.

The driver of the matatu, christened ‘‘Toyota Townage’’ registration number KBC 605V, George Muiruri, rushed Ekiru to the Kitale District Hospital.

He was admitted for three days before being transferred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret for specialised treatment.

Back at home in Trans-Nzoia, the boy’s father, Enus Long’oli, a bicycle boda boda operator, was struggling to get a P3 Form in preparation of seeking justice.

P3 Form

With the complicated process of the police issuing out the P3 Forms, it was not until after four months had passed that Long’oli was finally issued a copy of the form. ‘‘It is only through the grace and wish of God that I managed to be served with the form,’’ says Long’oli.

This was after S. Chepkemboi, the legal officer at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, wrote a letter, dated January 16, 2009 and addressed to the Kitale Officer Commanding Station (OCS), asking him to give the boy’s parents’ assistance in obtaining an abstract.

At the hospital, Ekiru incurred a bill of KSh56,595, which has since gone down by KSh9,400 after parents and other well-wishers intervened.

Long’oli explained that his son,

who is now visually and physically impaired, cannot sit down or walk on his own. He has been referred to Kenyatta National Hospital for further examination, but they cannot afford to take him there due to lack of funds.

Ekiru’s civil suit, No. 69 of 2009, was finally filed at the Kitale High Court, by the Gacathi and Company Advocates. Judgment was entered on January 19, 2009 against Amaco Insurance Company, who had covered the vehicle involved in the accident.

A bench of two High Court judges, Martha Koome and Stella Biketi, awarded KSh2.9 million damage to the victim.

Compensation

In a bid to pursue the release of the funds, Gacatha and Company Advocates, in a letter dated March 9, 2012, gave the Amaco Company a 10-days notice to sue if the claims would not have been paid within the period.

Kitale Amaco branch manager, John Rutto, says he is not aware if the company’s lawyers have cleared the claims. ‘‘We have had no problems in paying compensations to our clients, since we have always paid them within the shortest time possible. If there could be any delays, perhaps our lawyers are contemplating lodging an appeal against the judgment,’’ says Rutto.

As spokesperson at the Gacathi Company and Advocates, Jackson Ndung’u says the period within which one can file an appeal has expired. He adds that they have not received any notice of appeal from the insurers.

Chairman of the Kitale Chapter of the Advocates complaint board, Walter Wanyonyi, pledged to investigate the matter.

According to a medical report prepared by Dr. Samson Njenga on January 8, 2009, Ekiru lost speech and had spastic paralysis of the right and lower limbs.

The report read, in part: ‘‘I have, therefore, determined the degree of permanent incapacity as 100 per cent.”

Yet another report by a radiologist at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Dr. G. Onditi, says Ekiru suffered

soft tissue injury of the facial structures, while Dr. E. Momenge at the Kitale’s Doctors’ Plaza says the boy will need the services of a caretaker throughout his life.

Long’oli and his wife Clementina now say they are living in isolation and have been discriminated against by the community, owing to the paralytic situation of Ekiru - second born in a family of five.

Having moved from one village to another, the family is facing difficulties in raising rent for their small house at Rafiki. While Clementina is confined to the house taking care of her boy, Long’oli is busy on the road ferrying passengers.

“In a day, I can raise KSh100 and during peak days and hours, I can collect as much as KSh200. But all this goes towards the purchase of food. We live from hand to month,” he says.

Good Samaritan

It is during the task of chasing for compensation of Ekiru’s accident that the father of five bumped into a good Samaritan, Jonas Kuuko, who stepped in to assist the family.

Kuuko, the Principal of Chebororwa FTC in Elgeiyo Marakwet County, and an aspirant for Saboti Seat, took up the payment of rent and pledged to sponsor the education for the family’s children.

Says Kuuko: ‘‘Such a situation needs the intervention of community leaders, and other charitable organizations should come to the family’s rescue.”

A former employer of Long’oli, Dorothy Chebet, says she has received threats for pressuring for the payments owed to Long’oli’s family.

Chebet, who is also a human rights and political activist, threatened to lead a protest delegation to Wamalwa

From top: Collin Ekiru, cries for justice. He was immobilized after being hit by a matatu. Ekiru’s family, now struggles to get justice for their son. Pictures: Abisai Amugune to address the issue.

Long’oli says he has also been threatened over his stand on the issue.

He claims to have been told to part with KSh70,000 as the cheque for the whole amount is being processed.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

15

In Suba, children do domestic work for teachers

By CAROLYNE OYUGI Teachers in Suba District have been using pupils to do their farm work and other domestic chores.

The sight of pupils carrying empty water containers on their way home and full on their way back is a normal sight, and no one apart from the pupils seem to be bothered.

Once they reach school with the water, the next step is to empty the jerri cans in the teachers’ water drums and other water containers.

On other days, one will see female pupils carrying firewood on their way from home while the male students carry pangas and jembes headed to a teacher’s farm outside the school compound.

The female pupils have also been smearing the teachers’ mud walled houses in the school compound as well as cooking and cleaning for them.

Interestingly, this also happens in the male teachers’ houses - without consideration of the risks that the girl is exposed to.

The teachers in this area find it okay; to them the only difference is that they are the ones being served now - the same way they served their teachers during their time.

Night schooling

In Wandiji Primary School, Suba District in Homa Bay County, the school operates differently from other day schools. In this school, class seven and eight pupils spend the night in school, despite the fact that it is a day school.

Pupils usually start their morning preps at 5.30am, have their normal classes during the day, and go for lunch. The abnormal routine starts here.

They go home briefly in the evening only to come back to school and have their night preps until 10pm.

Since it is not safe to go home, they end up sleeping in school.

According to the teachers, this

Girls carry water to school for their teachers in Suba District. The pupils also fetch firewood and work on the teachers farms. The region has one of the high numbers of child labor perpetrated by the teachers. Picture: Carolyne Oyugi makes it easy for them to be in class by 5.30am for the morning preps.

As much as this looks like a good effort by the school to improve the pupils’ performance, the students are exposed to many risks. Firstly, there is no one left behind in-charge of taking care of them. The pupils are in the adolescent stage, and the boys might be tempted to take advantage of the girls - resulting to sexual abuse.

Secondly, the school is not properly fenced, and so nothing prevents the pupils from being attacked or molested. Thirdly, it is easy for the pupils to spend the night away from the school.

The schools also do not have dormitories and so they sleep in the classes, which have open windows exposing them to the cold and mosquitoes.

When a head teacher from one of the schools was contacted, all she

had to say was that she finds nothing wrong or strange with pupils in a day school sleeping in school.

She further added that the pupils work for them as an agreement between the teachers and the parents.

However, the pupils expressed their displeasure with what is happening.

“The lunch break is usually very short, considering the fact that I come from far and yet I still have to

fetch water at a water pump, which is crowded, and carry it to school. I wish this would stop,” said a class four pupil from Wandiji Primary School.

This comes at a time when it is estimated that three million Kenyan minors are engaged in child labour, often working under hazardous conditions, and children below 10 years comprise 10 per cent of the total child workers in Kenya.

It’s tough for slum kids, but there is hope

By KARANI KELVIN Several endless streams of open sewage find their way down the murky river almost a kilometre away from the tarmac road. These streams gather more murk on their way, at times being diverted by small mountains of human refuse they cannot carry down, or by muddy houses striking a precarious balancing act on the edges of soil that looks too willing to give way and fall a few meters below. Loud music booms from several houses, the people themselves talk as loudly.

Tucked in the Southwest end of Nairobi, Kibera (from the Nubian word meaning forest), is the home of over two million Kenyans.

Like its name states, Kibera is indeed a forest of thousands of homes with brown rusty roofs.

Environment

“Life in Kibera is very hard,” says Daniel Ochieng, the head teacher of St Christine Community School. “The environment in which children in the slums live is not conducive for their well being. There is too much going on that can affect them negatively,” he observes.

According to Ochieng, slum children find it

difficult to go through school because the conditions in which they live do not allow them to do so. Their parents or guardians largely form part of the poorest Kenyans, and have little to offer.

According to Ochieng quite a number of parents and guardians are also affected or infected by HIV, which compounds the problem.

“These parents and guardians are then forced to spend their meagre income on buying food for themselves to help them remain healthy,” he says.

It is the unique challenges that face slum children that moved them to start a community school. The main goal of the school is to “facilitate a vibrant, quality education for children from the slums and low income households in Kibera”.

However, from the very beginning, the quality of education they desired to give was a big challenge, as the school did not have enough resources. For instance, the school did not have qualified teachers and even the unqualified ones were not being properly remunerated.

Since the school was drawing its pupils from low income homes, it had to provide them with a better alternative than what they

were used to if they were to keep the children in school. The children needed food, clothing and hope, and the school had to do something about this or fail in its endeavours.

“Our biggest challenge was to provide food to the children. We could not keep them hungry in school and expect that they would learn,” says Ochieng.

In order to feed the pupils it was admitting, the school was forced to rely on donations from friends, parents, foreign donors and other well wishers. While this bore fruit at times, there were times that the teachers had to find the food themselves using their own little resources.

Candidates

Since the school started way back in 2000, it has registered candidates thrice for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams. Although the performance has not been the best, with a mean score of 232, 247 and 258 marks out of the possible 500 for the three years, the head teacher is excited that given the circumstances within which the children live, these marks are not the worst.

“We have been improving over the years and we are putting in more effort to ensure that

our children get even better marks regardless of the challenges we face,” says an optimistic Ochieng.

In order to boost performance, the school ensures that all needy students it admits are interviewed to know their strengths and weaknesses in class. The school has also since instituted a small daily fee so that it can buy food for the pupils.

While admitting that most slum children end up becoming mere statistics in the country, Mr. Ochieng believes that with a little help, these children can become great citizens in Kenya.

“We have seen children from Kibera and other slums do well in school and later in life,” he says. “The children now living in the slums are no exception. They can do well if they are supported and encouraged.”

He believes that, above everything else, above all the challenges that the children face and the environment in which they live, they can still make it in life. Slums, after all, have been known to produce saints.

According to Mr. Ochieng, “If the children have hope and get support, there is a better future for them too. These children can also succeed like the others and why not?”

16

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Despite major obstacles girls in Nyanza shine

By PETER KINGS The quest for education for the girl child in Nyanza remains elusive. Every day, hundreds of girls drop out of school due to poverty. Majority of them resort to menial jobs in a bid to fend for their families while others are married off at an early age.

Even the girls who remain in school, have to contend with unwanted pregnancies and archaic cultural practices as they try to shape their future in education.

“Outdated practices such as Female Genital Mutilation continue unabated in the region and majority of the girls have to play hide and seek game with circumcisers willing to initiate them into adulthood at a tender age, before they are married off in exchange of herds of cattle,” lamented Ida Odinga, wife to Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

According to Ida every year hundreds of girls between seven and 17 years seek refuge in church compounds to evade the retrogressive ritual.

Anti-cultured

“Those who fail to undergo the ritual are branded villains and anticultured by their peers and in some instances ostracized by the community and forced to spend their lives in charity homes and church compounds.”

Nyanza Provincial Director of Education (PDE) Geoffrey Cherongis says FGM continues to undermine girl’s education and the ones who manage to get refuge in charitable homes are just but a fraction of those who suffer.

Although substantial work has been done to sensitise girls and the community at large on the dangers of FGM, Hilary Alila a champions of girl’s education in Homa Bay County says more needs to be done to ensure that those who encourage the practice face the law as it is contrary to Section 14 of the Children’s Act.

Parental neglect in Central Kenya alarming

By JOSEPH MUKUBWA

Despite challenges of child marriage and unwanted pregnancies, school girls in Nyanza achieve impressive KCSE results. Picture: Peter Kings “It appears that the community is still hiding under history, tradition and cultures that thrive under the notion that the girl is likely to become pregnant if she is not circumcised and thus bring shame to the family,” Alila says.

According to Alila, some girls drop out of school after being impregnated by male teachers.

Statistics at Nyanza Provincial Education office indicate that about 30 per cent of girls drop out of school after being impregnated by their male teachers. An estimated 1,000 teachers have been suspended in connection with vice across the country with Nyanza leading the perk.

Suspension

Over 30 teachers were last year suspended in Rongo district after a taskforce revealed that they have been involved in love affairs with pupils.

The vast scale of sex abuse in Nyanza schools was revealed when the government set up a toll-free helpline for victims.

“The girl-child education in

Nyanza seems to be in danger. The disparity in enrolment among boys and girls must be addressed,” says Alila.

Migori District Education Officer, Pamela Akello, cites poverty and fish trade along the beaches of Lake Victoria as a factor. She adds that the high rate of orphans due to HIV and Aids, as well as other terminal illnesses, had aggravated the situation.

Akello says gold mining and tobacco farming in parts of Migori, Nyatike, Kuria West and Kuria East districts had also pushed girls out of school.

Her counterpart in Kuria East District Francis Ochieng laments that the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the area has shattered education dreams for most girls.

Ochieng says the transition rate of girls in the area remains low in the region as girls take a lot of time celebrating and healing after the FGM. “Many girls drop out of primary school and opt for marriage. Girls have become an endangered species here in Kuria East since par-

ents marry them off to perceived wealthy men soon after the FGM,” explains Ochieng.

Oblivious of these obstacles, the girls have continued to show signs of academic progress over the years.

Despite the many obstacles facing the girl child in Nyanza Province, success in examinations is slowly taking an upward trend with impressive performance for a second year running.

In the 2010 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) little known Rang’ala Girls’ surprised giant national school Maseno when it emerged ahead of Maseno School in the overall mean grade in the provincial rankings.

In the 2011 KCSE results, Kisumu Girls emerged top in Kiswahili followed by Rang’ala Girls’ School giving Nyanza Province an edge in the subject.

Apart from emerging top in Kiswahili the last year’s results, two girls’ schools namely Asumbi and Nyabururu, were ranked among the top 48 in the national schools ranking, across the country.

About 80 cases of child abuse and neglect are reported daily in Central Kenya region.

The cases have doubled from 2008, to over two million last year. Mothers head about 65 per cent of homes in this region.

The National Council for Children’s Services chairperson, Helen Waweru, lamented that cases touching on neglected, destitutes, orphans and abandoned children continue to be reported daily, while others are never reported.

“On average 7,000 cases of neglect are reported every year. About 98 per cent of reported cases are perpetrated by helpless mothers. This ties up with the observed tradition that in Central Province children belong to the mother. Other commonly reported cases include: custody issues, paternity disputes and children being denied education,” observed Waweru. She added: “The cases are now doubling every year.”

Speaking at a Nyeri hotel, Waweru said that the cases have been rising day by day.

11,258 cases were reported in 2008-2009, and that increased the following year to 14,144 cases. In 2010-2011, over 17,600 cases were reported.

“There is high levels of illicit brew consumption and usage of drugs in the region.

The brew is sometimes contaminated or brewed with poisonous concoctions that has left some dead, blind or incapacitated. Fathers who neglect their children are also engaged in drinking cheap home-made brews that have further accelerated the frustrations of the poor mothers,” observed Waweru.

“Street children are another serious issue in the region. There are over 2,400 children living in these areas and need care and protection. The greatest challenge is that when they are rescued and taken to charitable children’s institutions or reintegrated back to their homes, many run away and return to the streets,” she noted.

Waweru urged area residents to create a protective and friendly environment that promotes a holistic development of the children. She said that Central region is the only area which records low child population due to increase of alcoholic brews.

Children still out of school despite free education

By KEN NDAMBU Hidden charges invoked by school authorities for reasons of improving performance in national examinations are affecting learning. This has caused many children in Kitui County to drop out of school, since the parents are unable to raise the money demanded by the school administration.

Mutia Kasimu abandoned school at Katia Primary in class three due to what teachers called ‘chronic absenteeism’. His poor parents were not able to pay the school levies like tuition, examination fees and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) levies. This forced him to not attend school regularly, as he would not be allowed in class if the demanded fees were not paid.

His peer, Mutuku Musya, a pupil at Museve Primary School, went up to class six and dropped out. He decided to look for cheap labour in the neighbourhood to help his parents meet the education costs for his younger siblings.

According to Kitui Development Centre (KDC), a local non-governmental organisation,

parents are paying more for primary education than for secondary education in day secondary schools.

In one of the primary schools, parents were paying KSh300 tuition fees per term, KSh500 examination fees and KSh850 for PTA - per child.

Hard hit are parents with more than one child, as they have to dig deeper into their pockets. In some schools parents are parting with close to KSh9,000, which is far more than what is charged in most day secondary schools.

Child Workers

“The scenario has defeated the purpose of free primary education, as children from poor families have abandoned school to join the labour market as child workers, while others combine work with school to help their parents meet education costs,” says Dominic Mbindyo, a project officer at KDC. He says, with support from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), his organisation is rehabilitating 1,880 children in the worst forms of child labour in the area.

“Three components of prevention, protection and withdrawal have been put in place as remedy for the increased cases of children leaving school for child labour,” explains Mbindyo.

He says through an area based integrated approach, 760 children will be withdrawn from child labour, 1,020 prevented from taking child labour jobs and 100 protected at the work place.

Of the three components, withdrawal is more complex. It needs intervention from police, parents, teachers and other stakeholders - like the government departments with children programmes, says Mbindyo.

For children who combine school with work, school attendance is very poor; hence the need to carry baseline surveys from the homestead to find factors that make the child miss school regularly.

Levies

“From our research, children who combine school with work do so due to lack of money to pay the ‘mandatory’ levies and other necessities, like the uniforms, sanitary towels and exercise books,” notes Mbindyo.

KDC provides subsidies to meet some of the levies charged, in addition to buying sanitary towels for girls who have attained puberty.

“The aim is to retain the children in school as well as encourage them and their peer groups who have left school to go back,” says Mbindyo.

Children who have been withdrawn from the worst forms of child labour are attached to technical training institutions. They are trained and empowered to start their own businesses.

Mbindyo adds that, to sustain the programme, child labour committees have been formed from the location to district level to monitor child issues and recommend remedies to the concerned line ministries.

“The committees will be given enabling roles to enable the vulnerable children get basic needs like completion of primary education,” he asserts.

Since poverty in households is the force driving many children out of school, KDC has started several income generating activities for vulnerable families to improve income.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

17

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Traditions that hold the Turkana girl hostage

By COSMAS EKUWAM While many gains have been made towards women’s social, economic and political emancipation, the fruits are yet to trickle down to marginalised groups at the grassroots level.

The Constitution broke the ceiling for women’s aspirations by institutionalising and correcting gender imbalances in both public and private offices, but the rural woman has been left out in the loop.

Ten-year-old Arunye Lomuria, a beaded girl child from Daaba Village in the outskirts of Isiolo, represents the picture of the rural woman. She has long resigned herself to playing the subordinate and peripheral role in the society.

“Why should I go to school, it is a waste of time, who will look after my father’s goats?” Arunye poses when asked why she is not at school.

At Daaba Village there are scores of enthusiastic, beaded, under-age girls tending goats and going about their business.

They have no accord to the free and compulsory primary education.

Roles

A typical day for Arunye starts at around 5.00am, the time when most of her age-mates prepare for school. Instead of doing what her peers are engaged in, she proceeds to milk sheep and goats, before embarking on preparing tea or porridge for breakfast.

Arunye is content with her daily routine of milking, tending goats, as well as fetching firewood and water among other household chores.

This, she is told, is what God ordained as the role of a typical traditional Turkana house wife.

“Schools spoil girls. They and end up not fetching livestock for their parents in form of dowry.

Most of them are impregnated or are not married (by wealthy, mostly illiterate elderly men having large herds of cattle), but instead end up eloping with vagrant, educated men,” observes Ekai Elimlim, Arunye’s father, when asked why his daughter is not at school.

Turkana cultural beliefs on the role of women in the society have conspired to deny the girl child opportunities for education and advancement in this largely conservative and closed community.

“I have taken my three boys to school, but their younger sister has to remain back and look after our livestock,” says Elimlim. He adds: “After, all the boys will remain with me, while the girl will be married off and will go to stay with her husband’s family.”

Matters are made worse for the girl child due by the entrenched cultural practices that encourage child marriage. Among the Turkana community betrothal is a common practice, where the girl child is booked as early as she is six

Coast maintains low transition in education

By IZZOH DE PAPARAZI

years old by a prospective husband. She is beaded to signal the intention.

Aruye and scores of other girls carry on their shoulders heavy straps of beads tied around their neck - evidence that they are potential wives of prospective husbands.

Most suitors are elderly men who marry these young girls to look after them during their sunset years. These marriages are arranged by elders from friendly clans in a bid to cement and further their close knit relationships.

Girls are identified early enough and the suitor buys the beads that are worn by the innocent girl, Top: Turkana women fetch water in a water point. They still retain with the aunts working totraditional roles ascribed to them by the tribe. Below: ten-yearwards socialising and inold Arunye Lomuria, a beaded girl child from Daaba Village in the culcating social norms to outskirts of Isiolo. Pictures: Cosmas Ekuwam prop up the growing girl to womanhood. through an elaborate and solemn mum of 30 heads of cattle to 60, “We have to ensure that this girl grows up into a re- traditional ceremony called akiarr or alternatively a minimum of 360 sponsible adult by close supervision emong’. goats, to be shared out among the During the akiarr emong tradi- bride’s clan members. and apprenticeship to womanhood.

Even my marriage was arranged tional wedding ceremony — which The exorbitant cost of successwhen I was a child, and I do not is a must for any traditional recog- fully holding the ceremony forces have any regrets. But schooled girls nition of marriage — elaborate cul- the clan members to join hands are not easy to tame, and end up tural rituals are done, binding the to collectively contribute and lay not fetching cattle for the clan,” says children to the father’s clan. claim over the children of such a Akai Maring, a 30-year old woman marriage. defending the cultural practice.

Due to the extremely central “Emong traditional wedding role of the ceremony among the According to the Turkana community cultural practice, the chil- ceremony is essentially about legal- Turkana community, it is deemed dren belong to the clan - hence ising ownership of the children, and shameful for the man and his clan parents of the girl have no final say not more on the woman. In some to not be able to meet this solemn on the matters relating to the child. instances it is even carried out be- traditional marriage, which is a leThe authority for the betrothal tween separated couples to remove gal condition. of the girl child lies solely on the ambiguity over where the children A man and his clan loses ownerhead of the clan, a senior elder who belong,” clarifies Mzee Kochila Are- ship of children, with the mother’s is consulted by the delegation of the mon. clan (who are basically their uncles) Akiaar emong does not come laying claim, something that is seen interested suitor and the negotiacheap, as the groom’s clan has to as an unfathomable and disgraceful tions are initiated.

Clan members collectively cough out bride price in the form situation to a proud Turkana man contribute on legalising marriage of livestock - ranging from a mini- and his entire clan.

Ownership

Coast Province is still leading in recording low transitional rates of school children, with Bamba region being the worst hit, followed by Kikambala.

According to the mapping report, presented during a consultative validation meeting by KWETU in conjunction with Amkeni wa Kenya initiative, only 10 per cent of girls in Bamba make it to Standard Eight and Form One. According to research carried out by Kwetu, most parents fear educating the girl child, as they may become sexually involved with the teachers - something that is rampant in the region.

The parents have the perception that educating a girl child is a waste of time, as she will be married off and all the benefits will go to the husband’s family. Also the issues of sanitary towels and early marriages have contributed to girls dropping out of school.

Boys have not been spared either, as only 30 percent make it to Form One. The other 70 per cent opt to engage in charcoal burning as a way of raising money to fend for their family.

Poverty

The Standard One enrolment pattern in Bamba is seven years for boys and nine years for girls, while Kikambala boys enrol at five years and girls at seven years.

According to Mzee Kenga Chengo Kalume, many children fail to enrol in school at the required time due to poor economic status.

The locals revealed that there was much to be done to educate the public on the need to embrace education and shy away from traditional practices that have been surpassed by time.

According to Joria Sudi, a Kwetu Human Rights Coordinator, they are promoting economic, social and cultural rights in both the Bahari and Ganze constituencies, which will see them conduct a mapping exercise to collect different views and ideas.

“So far we have conducted mapping exercises in Kikambala Vipingo area, Bamba, and soon we will be touring Chonyi, before we embark on civic education forums as part of our mandate in enlightening the community on their human rights - as there are more violations in these areas,” said Sudi.

The introduction of school feeding programmes in Bamba has yet to bring a relief, as a lack of water is making the preparation of meals difficult.

According to area residents, some parents fail to pay KSh20 to cater for the cooks - hence many children are forced out of school, while those who sail through primary education fail to continue with secondary due to lack of funds.

“Though we are struggling to keep our children at school, a lack of adequate teachers has proven to be a burden to some of us, as we are faced with the responsibilities of paying for PTA teachers,” noted Kabibi Mdzomba.

Parents in the entire coast region have constantly been accused of being behind girls dropping out of school and being married off.

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ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Parents to face arrests in sexual abuse cases

By GILBERT OCHIENG Parents who fail to control and protect their children from sexual abuse, and/ or early pregnancies resulting in school dropout, will be arrested and charged before a court of law, a children’s officer has warned. Dishon Otuko, Samia District Children Officer, sounded the warning while addressing over 400 beneficiaries and caregivers of the orphaned vulnerable children, who are in the Cash Transfer programme at Hakati, in Bwiri location of Samia District recently.

The children’s officer lamented that, although the Government is spending a total of KSh19.6million annually in the district on orphaned and vulnerable children, the school dropout rate is still high due to pregnancies and early marriages. ”This is due to a lack of parental care and has led to a majority of the children attending video shows, disco or matanga (funeral) local dances, overnight prayers, night tuition and other activities that keep the girls and boys out until late into the night,” observed Otuko.

The children’s officer complained that the majority of parents and guardians are encouraging their children to dress indecently, a factor he blamed for the rising cases of sexual abuse.

“Majority of parents and guardians have left their children at the mercy of sex pests who have taken advantage of the situation to exploit the girl-child at the expense of education,” noted Otuko, adding that the rate at which the girls were dropping out was higher than that of the boys.

He warned that any parent who fails to report cases of child abuse will risk arrest. He added that his office has been receiving over ten child abuse cases per month.

“The children’s office is handling over ten child abuse cases per month, and a majority of parents whose children have been abused in most occasions fail to follow up on the cases after being compromised by the perpetrators,” said Otuko.

Minors remain at risk of sodomy and defilement

By ROBBY NGOJHI At a remote Vinesenyi village, in Mwatate Constituency in Taita-Taveta County, three-year old Danford Mjawasi* was left alone at home as his two elder siblings went to fetch water at a nearby stream.

When the two elder brothers returned later, they realised that their three-year-old sibling was unwell. He kept on weeping in agony, something that distressed his brothers, who failed to understand what could have happened to him.

“By the time they left for the stream, he exuded his normal energy and joy but on coming back from the river he looked sickly. We do not know what has happened because we have tried to interrogate him and he has not talked. He cried throughout,” the elder boys, aged five and seven, narrate to their mother, Marina Chanya, on her return home.

Chanya then decided to bathe the boy so he could have a nap. But in the process of removing Mjawasi’s clothes she notices some bloody discharge oozing out from his anus.

Disclosure

On further interrogation he discloses that a neighbour, who he could identify, had come into the homestead. On realising that the three-year old was home alone, he sodomized him for almost an hour before fleeing the scene.

“While you were away Mdemi came here and told me to sleep on the ground. He then slept on me and did bad things on me and now it is so painful,” he explains.

Although it may appear shocking, Mjawasi’s scenario is just a fraction of the myriads of other related sexual violence and abuses involving minors in the county.

In spite of the stiff penalty against sexual offenders as espoused in the Sexual Offences Act of 2006, the region continues to experience mount-

ing cases of defilement, a trend which local leaders have termed as worrying.

In one of the most recent incidents, police, in conjunction with the Children’s Department, arrested three suspects in connection with a series of sexual offences against underage girls.

Among the suspects were two Sunday school teachers - one of them was reported to have defiled a Standard Seven girl, while the other attempted to rape a minor.

The incidents occurred at Kungu Village, which straddles the border between Mwatate and Wundanyi constituencies.

Sunday School

In the cases involving the Sunday school teachers, a middle aged man, identified as Jimmy Mwan- Innocent: school boys drink milk. They have however become victims gola, was nabbed after he reportof sexual molestation as sodomy and defilement of minors continue edly defiled a 15-year old class to rise. Picture: Robby Ngojhi seven girl from Kungu Primary Wundanyi Constituency - an issue dressing is to blame then how come School.

The parent of the 15-year old, that prompted the government to premature girls who are below two who only gave her name as Elizabeth, post a children’s officer in the area to years are involved? Can the dressing of a girl who has not even reached said she was shocked by the reports handle the cases.

“Initially the children’s officer was puberty stage attract a man? How because Mwangola was considered a bona fide Christian, and has been based in Voi but since cases of defile- can they defend themselves on sodpreaching the word of God to chil- ment and rape increased in Wun- omy?” poses Mwakio.

She calls on local men to convene dren at the local Kungu ACK Church danyi, the Government decided to post an officer in this area to handle an urgent meeting and find a lasting every Sunday.

“I never knew that such cases have the matters,” said Sitati, adding that solution to the problem.

A recent study disclosed that been happening when my daugh- she will make an effort to ensure the over 500 cases of child abuse were ter goes to Sunday school although problem is controlled. reported in the County within the sometimes she used to come home last one year. The study, carried out from church late. I later heard from Former Voi Mayor, Anisa by the Taita Taveta Human Rights the neighbours that young girls are being deflowered by their spiritual Mwakio, observes that the cases have Watch, established that cases such teachers,” she told the Reject after reached alarming levels and calls for as Female Genital Mutilation, sexual recording a statement at Wundanyi urgent measures. She says that the abuse, parental negligence, and child vice has adversely affected social labour, among others, are some of Police Station.

Mwangola’s counterpart, Jack- developments and girl child perfor- the cases that are still rampant in the son Mwabili, reportedly abducted mance in most schools within the region.

Msula Mwemba, a Taita elder and a 16-year-old girl and attempted to County.

“Cases of Sodomy and defile- founder of a local cultural Commurape her as she was headed home, but the girl managed to escape and ments involving minors have be- nity Based Organisation called Njacome rampant in this region. Often ma Ya Mizango, says these cases are reported the matter to her parents.

According to the area children’s men defend themselves that girls increasing because locals have abanofficer, Lenah Sitati, sexual offences put on revealing cloths, thus pro- doned their culture and forgotten its involving minors have increased in voking them to commit the vice. If norms pertaining to discipline.

Education

Report reveals rampant incest in families

By HENRY KAHARA “My husband was always coming home drunk, and due to influence of alcohol he would beat me and then forcefully have sex with me. On many occasions I ran away and slept at the neighbours or went back to my parent’s home, but would return after a few days for the sake of my three children (aged ten, six and four). In 2007, I left the matrimonial home and rented a room in Kitale town, where I lived with my children and sold cereals at the market,” narrates a sexual violence victim.

Reform

After staying away from home for a while, the husband visited her rented room, pleading that he had reformed.

She agreed to go back, but after a short period he was back at it - beating her senseless until, one day in 2008, he threatened to kill her.

During this time he also defiled his daughter. “Our four-year-old daughter

was sleeping in the sitting room. After few minutes, I heard the child scream loudly and then went silently to check.

I pleaded with him to allow me to take the child, but he refused to open the door. After two hours, he opened the door and I entered the room to find to my dismay that he had defiled our daughter.”

Police

She reported the matter to the police and the man was arrested, but up to this date she has not been told what transpired at the police station - because he was later released.

These are some issues that most families undergo in Kenya, but due to fear of embarrassing their husbands, many wives keep quiet whenever rape occurs in the family.

This is why the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights decided to appoint a team to investigate incidences of incest. The inquiry aimed to establish the extent and nature of viola-

tion of sexual and reproductive health rights and then recommend appropriate redress measures.

Speaking during the launch of the of the inquiry, the commissioner and the chair to the inquiry panel, Winfred Lichuma, said that although both genders suffer from sexual violence, women and girls were the most affected.

Lichuma said that according to the 2008-2009 Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS), sexual violence and forced sexual intercourse were common features among Kenyan women.

The report noted that 12 per cent of women aged 15-49 were forced during their first sexual intercourse. The findings further indicated that one in every five Kenyan women has experienced sexual violence.

According to the findings, the Western and Nyanza provinces recorded the highest proportions of women experiencing physical and sexual abuse. In the majority of cases,

sexual violence is perpetrated by persons known to the victims.

According to experts, sexual violence has profound effects on the victim’s reproductive health. Some of the effects include unwanted pregnancies, which lead to unsafe abortions, which sometimes lead to death.

Another is the high chance of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. In extreme cases, sexual violence results in death or severe maiming.

Inequality

The status of sexual and gender based violence in Kenya for 2011, and witness accounts during the hearings, demonstrate that the root cause of sexual violence is the unequal power relations between men and women, and the abuse of this power by men.

This results in the domination over, discrimination against and abuse of women.

The findings from the inquiry also

indicate that a culture of impunity in relation to sexual abuse and violation of girls and women is a key factor perpetuating this vice in Kenya.

Given the secrecy with which sexual issues are handled, even within the obscure community processes nobody is willing to talk about it boldly in order to address the cases of incest and defilement; a situation that has led to women and girls suffering in silence.

The national legal framework for sexual and gender based violence draws guidance from the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Article 27 (3) promotes equal treatment for men and women, including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres. It prohibits any form of discrimination. According to the evidence that emerged from the hearings, it is clear that most cases of violence experienced by women are perpetuated by cultural norms and practices and it is in this space where (Article 29 (c)) is mandated to intervene.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

19

Malindi DC implicates parents in sex scam

By OKWEMBAH NEHEMIAH Parents in Malindi are allegedly trading their daughters to tourists in exchange for money.

According to Joshua Nkanatha, Malindi District Commissioner, the money hungry parents take as little as KSh10,000 in exchange of their daughters’ innocence.”

Malindi Children Protection Centre Manager, Naomi Kazungu says this had resulted in the rising cases of early pregnancies with about 17 cases being reported on a monthly basis but notes that this is just a fraction of the situation on the ground.

A head teacher of a local primary school said her school was the worst hit by cases of early pregnancies, and blamed the provincial administration for the problem.

Speaking to journalists, the teacher, who sought anonymity, said part of the blame lay squarely on parents, since some of them introduced children to prostitution at an early age.

“Some of these parents go as far as exchanging their daughters with cheap pleasantries. I think greed is our undoing in this society,” she

said.

When contacted for comment, Malindi District Education Officer, Mary Kamurua, was quick to deny the allegations, saying that some statements are normally exaggerated to appease a section of society.

She said that although cases of child abuse, including early marriages, have been reported, so far more girls were serious with their education.

Raided

Recently, a provincial administrator raided a home in Muyeye village, to rescue three young children, aged between six months and six years, who had been brutally assaulted.

One of the children, a boy, aged four years, had whiplash marks spread all over his body.

The others looked emaciated and were in need of specialised medical attention.

This is just one of the many cases reported to the Malindi District Officer, while scores of others go unreported.

According to Nichodemus Mwayele, assistant chief Maweni sub-location, Malindi Dis-

trict, child abuse in the area can be attributed to extreme poverty and illiteracy among parents and caretakers.

“Some of the caregivers force children to venture into the streets to beg from tourists.

Several of these children have been rounded up and taken to care homes around and outside the resort town,” says Mwayele.

An official at the Malindi Children Office, Kenneth Mutuma, said many children who have been rescued from the hands of cruel relatives are housed at the children centre.

“In extreme cases we take them to a children’s home where they are well taken care of since these are well equipped,” said Mutuma.

He added: “We look for the best children homes for the infants who may have been abandoned by their mothers.”

According to Mutuma the most difficult group to deal with is the provincial administration who collude with offenders and let them off the hook.

“The chiefs are aware of what happens in their jurisdiction but when contacted they deny.

What is good in protecting a relative who has

sodomised or raped a child,” Mutuma quipped.

However, he was quick laud Maweni Assistant Chief, Nichodemus Mwayele for being at the forefront in protecting these children.

It is through the Assistant Chief that three children were rescued at Muyeye village. Afterwards, it emerged that their stepmother was whipping them on a daily basis, and that they were being locked in the house.

New strategies

The children’s office, known locally as ‘baba watoto’ has so far rescued more than 1,000 children from the gruesome environment they were exposed to. Despite the frustrations from the provincial administration, new strategies have been laid down to protect the children.

These include public barazas as well as visiting schools and homes, so the community can also benefit from the Orphans’ and Vulnerable Children fund.

“Children are also now approaching the office directly to report cases as opposed to the past. This is a sign of good progress,” observes Mutuma.

Truancy wreaks havoc at the beaches

By ROBERT NYAGAH The management of different hotels in Malindi have raised concerns that some of their guests are being denied a chanced to enjoy their leisure at the beaches and the streets of Malindi.

Fears have been expressed that some of the boys may be working with some hardened criminals to rob tourists of money and valuables.

This comes at a time when the number of children abandoning school to loiter in the beaches and the streets begging from tourists is on the increase and a cause of much embarrassment to hoteliers, tour operators and the general public.

For this reason, the government has launched a major campaign to rid the beaches and streets of Malindi, Kilifi County of school children who loiter around and harass tourists.

Chairman of the Hotel Keeper and Caterers Association, Philip Chai, is on record demanding that the beach boys and children who harass tourists are damaging Malindi’s image internationally.

He noted that the beaches and streets of Malindi, which are patronised by tourists, should not be changed to areas of trade and begging by children.

“This damages the image of Malindi as a destination of international repute and unless action is taken Malindi will suffer as tourists will be diverted elsewhere,” said Chai.

Arrests

Launching the projects under which hundreds of children have been picked and returned to schools during swoops, Shella sub-location assistant chief, Emmanuel Mwayele, warned that the arrests would also target parents who allow their children into the beaches and streets.

“Parents will be charged with child neglect,” said Mwayele, soon after he had led a team of volunteers from the Malindi Children’s Department, and an inspector of the Administration Police attached to his office, to arrest six children who were found begging and harassing

tourists at the beach.

Sources in Malindi have indicated that the tourist resort could be hosting a group of about 20 children who have graduated to thieves - while begging they also steal from unsuspecting tourists in packing bays and at the beach.

“We cannot rest until we deal with this group because reports indicate that the children aged between nine and 12 have become ruthless in their operations; that they end up stealing huge amounts of money from unsuspecting tourists,” said Mwayele.

Confession

Surprisingly, after their arrest, the six children admitted that at one time they managed to steal KSh100,000 from tourists and divide amongst themselves.

“That particular day we were a group of 10 and so we divided the cash among ourselves and each of us got KSh10,000. Some of us took the cash to our parents, but others did not,” explained a 12-yearold boy, who confessed that he took the money to his parents.

When interviewed by the Reject, the children, who were briefly held at the Malindi Children Protection Centre, confessed that they dropped from school due to a lack of school fees and parental negligence.

Some, however, appeared to enjoy sneaking from school to go begging and stealing from tourists. The earnings are at times quite high.

“Sometimes I can take home KSh3,000 in a day, just from begging.

The tourists are good because most times they give us the money in Euros and we go the street money changers where they change it to Kenya shillings.”

Says Mwayele: “This group seems to be quite organised and could be receiving guidance from some grown up criminals. How can such young people operate such a tight network in the town?”

The assistant chief warned parents in Malindi to take care of their children, noting that they should familiarise themselves with the Children’s

Act to avoid ending up in jail or receiving fine penalties.

“Unless you take full care of your children, you might end up in jail or face a fine yet that will happen merely because you choose to ignore sections of the Constitution which you supported.”

Malindi District Children officer Naomi Kazungu told the Reject that cases of truant children pouring into the beaches and streets patronised by tourists to beg and harass the visitors were on the increase, and some parents were to blame for the cases.

She noted that her office Children loitering in the beaches and begging from tourists. The continued to receive prohoteliers are worried that the trend might discourage tourists from tests from hoteliers and tour touring Malindi if not controlled in time. operators and had launched a programme to work with Pictures: Robert Nyagah the provincial administraThe Children’s officer hoped that year and 11 in February this year, we tion and parents to create awareness on the need for parents to had received protests from hoteliers cases of child neglect would reduce take care of their school aged chil- that a huge number of children were once the government intensified the abandoning school and pouring into implementation of the Children’s Act dren.

“Our records indicated that be- the beaches to beg from tourists,” ex- by also targeting the parents during arrests. fore we arrested some 19 children last plained Kazungu.

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ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Girls in largest school face enormous challenges

By STEVE MUCHERU It is a school that has earned the tag of being the most populous in Kenya, and perhaps even beyond the borders. With the numbers fluctuating between 3,500 and 4,000, the challenges for the teaching fraternity and the pupils alike remain enormous.

The school hosts pupils from all walks of life — the humbled and disadvantaged, with the girl-child being greatly underprivileged. “We have girls who drop-out of school due to various reasons,” says John Kinyanjui, the head teacher.

The plethora of it all is when the young girls have to use their sweaters to cover the torn outfit.

“It eats into their confidence. However, a majority of them hail from extremely poor backgrounds,” notes Kinyanjui.

The lack of sanitary towels for teenage girls poses a big challenge in the dust filled school.

“Many are the times that girls fail to report to school is when having their periods,” says Eunice Wambui, a class eight pupil.

Wambui has seen most of her colleagues momentarily dropout of school, as they cannot stand the jeers from the boys in case when the worst happens and they soil themselves. “It is very embarrassing,” says the shy pupil.

Some of the girls opt for part time menials and house jobs that will help them purchase the towels, a feat that mostly compromises their education standards.

Early Marriage

Others not able to cope with challenges of adulthood opt for early marriages, despite their tender age.

“Four of my friends have gotten married barely out of their teens,” says Monica Wambui, also in class eight.

The header teacher echoes Wambui’s sentiments, saying that last year at least six girls got pregnant - aggravating the woes the girls have to undergo as they battle with natural biological changes.

Owing to the huge population, the teachers cannot monitor all the girls and attend to their personal problems. Some of the girls are even too shy to open up to the educators whom they

interact with on daily basis.

However, the teaching fraternity has not rested on their laurels, and according to Kinyanjui, who was recently posted to the school, they are now strengthening the counselling department to help stem the tide.

“We are now holding counselling sessions for girls on a weekly basis encouraging them to open up on some of the challenges that they are undergoing,” observes Kinyanjui.

The department, he added, will include motivational speakers who will take teenage girls through some life improvement skill and help the pupils to deal adequately with the challenges they are facing.

Predicament

“We believe the department will be able to deal effectively with the some of the predicament that the girls face as they graduate into young adults,” observes Kinyanjui, sounding optimistic.

Well wishers conscious of the challenges are now chipping in with the necessary help, especially on the purchase of sanitary towels. The latest faction to become philanthropic was a group of law enforcers drawn from the Administration Police unit.

The Naivasha based officers dug deep from their kitty and managed to purchase several cartons of sanitary towels, which they handed to the excited girls.

Known more for their brutal nature, they sort to shed the tug and mingled freely with the young girls, with guns and baton secured firmly in the armoury. It was a sight to behold.

According to the area commander, Senior Superintendent Michael Njau, the officers were touched by the plight of the girls and decided to assist.

“The officers from all cadres donated willingly to this noble cause,” said Njau.

The officers also brought food for the little ones, especially the girl child who has been skip-

From top: Students at the most populous school in Kenya, located in Karagita slums.

Recently they received free sanitary towels donated by Administration Police officers.

Pictures: Steve Mucheru ping lesson owing to hunger pangs. According to Kinyanjui, most of the young ones could not afford food, forcing them to stay out of school.

“We are very grateful for the officers who have showed compassion, especially to the girl child in this institution,” says Kinyanjui.

He said with the school located inside the densely populated Karagita slum it is a home to very needy children, whose poor parents who could hardly afford basic necessities, including food. “It has been very tricky for the young ones,” he noted.

The police officers did not only donate food-

stuff, but helped prepare a rare sumptuous meal - to the delight of the young ones, who perhaps have only witnessed the officers dealing ruthlessly with law breakers while combating crime in the estates.

Kinyanjui revealed there were more than 150 orphans attending the school, complicating matters for teachers and parents alike who are forced to shoulder some of the burden.

The school has been heavily relying on the surrounding flower farm owners for support, with some of the teachers on the payroll of the flower growers.

Mothers to blame for teenage pregnancies

By WANGARI MWANGI Women leaders have raised alarm over the rate at which young girls are becoming pregnant, creating a ‘crisis’ in the country.

Pauline Kalonzo, wife of Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, said that the number of girls becoming pregnant is worrying. She blamed this on mothers whom she says had abandoned their parenting role, leaving their daughters unprotected.

She pointed out: “Most girls fall in to the trap of men because they lack proper guidance from their mothers and sex education is no longer priority when they are growing up.”

Speaking in Murang’a, during the official opening of the ‘Kiambuthia Rescue Kiota’ for girls, Mrs Kalonzo said that early and unwanted pregnancies force girls to procure abortion to evade harsh punishment and rejection from

the parents.

“Young girls are being washed away in the river of abortion, which puts their lives at risk because they might die in the process,” she remarked.

She said that it is sad to see their dreams being shattered abruptly when they become pregnant, adding that their lives should not be ruined when the person responsible for the pregnancy moves on with his life.

Societal change

Kalonzo said that society should change its perception towards girls who become pregnant while still in school. “Society should go an extra mile, solving the problem and give these girls hope for a better tomorrow,” she noted.

She said that moral fibre has decayed, noting that people entrusted to take care of these young girls later turn against them. They sex-

ually abuse them, but they cannot disclose it to anybody after being threatened.

“We have had girls being impregnated by their fathers, brothers or close relatives, but the ordeal is covered up for the fear of ridicule from the society or the threats issued,” noted Kalonzo.

She called upon mothers to take their rightful position in protecting their young daughters, adding that they are the only ones with the capacity to end this menace. “They need to raise an alarm against the sexual offenders and counsel their daughters,” reiterated Kalonzo.

According to Dr Jane Kaggia, founder of the Kiambuthia Kiota, it is sad to see girls being chased out of their homes when they become pregnant. She said that they should not be condemned or victimized for the condition.

“Parents have to learn to forgive their

daughters when such incidences happen and give them hope for a better tomorrow,” Kaggia noted.

Abandonment

She revealed that the girls who carry their babies to the full term end up abandoning them in the hospitals or streets, and others are thrown into pit latrines or dumping sites.

“Why do we have to lose these babies just because they were conceived when the mother was in school or it was not planned for?” Kaggia posed.

However, she noted that mothers have also indulged themselves in alcoholism and can’t find the time to counsel their daughters.

Kaggia urged the Government to chip in and assist in setting up more rescue centres for girls who are rejected from their homes, where they can be equipped with life skills that will enable them support their children.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Oromo raiders used minors to attack children in Bagalla massacre

By ABJATA KHALIF

Fresh details in the Bagalla massacre in Buthutha village of Wajir reveal that the rag tag Oromo militia groups trained young boys from upper eastern towns of Moyale and Marsabit Districts before assigning them the role of targeting young children.

The planning of the massacre that involved senior politicians, local leaders, elders youth leaders and senior Oromo liberation officials employed a two pronged strategy whereby the rag tag army that is notorious in fighting Ethiopian regime trains local youths in Marsabit and Moyale and task them with responsibility of “taking care of young children” during the raid. Another group of youths was bestowed with the responsibility of showing the Oromo army routes to ButhuthaBagalla village and also guide them to the border area after finalising the heinous attack.

Training

According to Huka Dambelo who was 17 years when the massacre took place, children from various villages in Marsabit and Moyale played a critical role in participating in the training that lasted one month and they were trained on use of firearms, laying ambushes, waging attacks from various angle to the targets and also circling their targets [children] and bring them in one place.

“We received the training for one month to the attack. We were divided based on the villages of origin and I remember I was in the group that was trained to guide the attackers to traverse the area based on my knowledge as a herder. I played my role very well in showing them the route to Bagalla village and also I participated in assault team of young children that stormed the quiet village after the Oromo fighters started spraying bullets and encircling the village.”

Huka intimated that most youths who were trained prior to Bagalla massacre were mere livestock herders and they lacked expertise on waging large scale attack as they are only used to cases of cattle rustlings which is a cultural and traditional rites among some pastoralist communities in the region.

In an exclusive interview with Reject, Huka gave an account of new style of attack where children are trained and used against other children in remote village.

“During the attack trained and armed young children were given two land rovers and our land rover was clearing and showing other convoy the routes and when we reached near Buthutha village all hell broke loose as we formed a square and an attack plan which prepared in Kinisa training camp was laid immediately and everybody sprung into action with his armed wing and went straight to the target.’’

Women and children in Buthutha village of Wajir. Shocking details reveal that the rag tag Oromo militia groups used young and innocent boys from upper eastern towns of Moyale and Marsabit Districts to commit their crimes. Picture: Abjata Khalif Huka said that he was in the armed children’s wing that targeted children and they had prior intelligence on which traditional huts housed young children and where they will run to after the bullets hit the village from the square attack plan.

“Immediately after gun shots rent the air, I joined my group and we went straight to five traditional huts within Buthutha village and we intercepted running young children mostly boys who were trying to escape while young girls wailed and cried inside the huts. Some of my colleague stormed the traditional village and we started beating young children mostly girls and we raped them in turns and we could not even spare young girls of five to six years.

It was horrible as other team brought escaping young boys together and they started beating them with sticks, rungus, gun butts and even spraying bullets to those who tried to break our cordon,” he recounts.

The young attacker stated that they were under orders to act mercilessly and rape any children on sight and also abduct the best beautiful girls from besieged community and ferry them to Ethiopia where they would be forcefully married off to Oromo fighters

“We executed the orders without fear as we were being monitored by five hawk-eyed Oromo fighters who presided over the children operation and threatened us of dire consequences if we failed to comply with directives issued at the training.’’

Huka stated that receiving training in Oromo liberation camps in Marsabit-Moyale areas was one issue but the reality dawned on him when real action came and he was among the executioners.

Skills

“When I was receiving the training I thought it was a simple thing and it was fun as I acquired skills on how to use arms since will mean I protect my family from cattle rustlers. But I was shocked when we started attacking young children and beating them mercilessly and raping them. I ruthlessly beat a young boy as the Oromo guard ordered me to use gun butt and finish him as we could not waste a bullet on him and after hitting him with gun butt four times he passed away while I was watching. I was shocked and it was my first time to kill and especially an innocent young boy who was crying for help.’’

Huka admitted that the gory episode changed his lifestyle and he is

“We executed the orders without fear as we were being monitored by five hawkeyed Oromo fighters who presided over the children operation and threatened us of dire consequences if we failed to comply with directives issued at the training.”

still being haunted by the heinous acts he committed against fellow young children in Buthutha village.

“I am still traumatised by the events that characterised the attack.

One of the bizarre incidents that remain fresh in my mind is when I killed a young boy with gun butt as he pleaded for help and a young girl that I raped and was ordered by Oromo soldiers to insert gun knife into her private parts. After leaving the scene of the attack I obviously knew she will die. I now wake up in middle of the night tormented by these two incidents. I regret my actions and largely blame the Oromo fighters who supervised the operation.”

He further claimed that they selected young girls who were to be abducted together in one set and other children writhing from pain, trauma, shock and cries together in one set where they were sprayed with bullets by armed young boys while the Oromo army were busy counting the loot and planning the escape procedures and plans.

“We played the last key role where young armed attackers brought in a group of young beautiful energetic girls for abduction. Another group that brought their victims in wailing in pain, other unconscious and we had to assemble them to a central area where they were killed in hail of bullets following orders by the Oromo commanders. The attack decimated many young children while others managed to escape with wounds and we took the final responsibility of trekking with the abducted girls through various villages in kinisa, Dambalafanchana, outside Sololo and Uran before the attackers took charge of their operation and crossed the border with the loot and the abducted girls.”

21

Widows and widowers put on notice

By GILBERT OCHIENG Women from Samia who marry men after the death of their husbands only to misuse the property left behind for the children have been asked to desist from this behavior failure to which, stern legal action will be taken against them.

Addressing a stakeholders forum at Funyula ACK church recently, Samia District Children Officer Dishon Otuko was concerned that majority of widows in the district whose husbands had died decide to marry men who move into their homes to squander property left behind for the children.

He said that some even go to the extent of selling all the property left behind by their dead spouses hence subjecting the children to a lot of suffering.

The children officer at the same time said majority of the affected children are forced to drop out of school to engage in child labour, early marriages whereas some of them end up being detained in hospitals for failing to pay their hospital bills.

Otuko also complained that some fathers who marry other women after the death of their wives subject their children to torture, neglect and even going to the extent of chasing them away to stay with their maternal uncles.

The children officer called upon the chiefs and their assistants from the respective locations to report all child abuse cases to his office so that appropriate legal action can be taken against those involved, adding that he has several cases in court regarding the same.

“My office is strictly monitoring child abuse cases in the district in order to protect children from mistreatment, neglect, child labour and early marriage,” said the children officer, adding that it is the responsibility of every individual to protect children from the vice.

Meanwhile, a GSU who denied paternity of his daughter has been ordered by a Busia court to undergo a DNA test to prove his claim.

The accused, Victor Ojiambo who works in Nairobi as a GSU officer appeared before a Busia court recently where he was charged for neglecting his one year old daughter claim the child was not his.

Prosecuting the case, Samia District Children Officer Dishon Otuko informed the court that the accused impregnated Mary Adhiambo, a former form two student at Nanderema secondary school forcing her to drop from school prematurely.

The court further heard that after the former student had given birth, the accused agreed to provide for the child’s upkeep, but he failed to fulfill the pledge, prompting the children office to summon the accused to appear before the children office but he ignored the directive.

The case was taken to court but the accused maintained that he was not responsible for the pregnancy.

Passing the judgement, Busia resident magistrate Ms Munyekenye ordered the accused, the child’s mother as well as the child to undergo a DNA test in order to verify the truth.

The court further ordered the accused to meet the DNA test expenses and that by September 2012 if the DNA test will not have been done then the accused will start remitting Sh4,000 every month through the children office for the child’s upkeep until the DNA result is known.

22

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Where children are beasts of burden

By KEN NDAMBU During market days Mary Juma, a pupil in Changwithya East Location of Kitui Central District always reports to school late, too fatigued to concentrate in class. This is due to the hazardous work she performs the previous day.

Juma is not alone. This trend is common among many pupils in this region. Sundays and Wednesdays are bad days for primary school pupils in Museve sub-location. These are the days that they help their parents ferry loads of sugarcane to the bus stops for onward transportation to Kitui town’s Kalundu market.

Market days

“It has become a trend for children to leave school early during market days to help their parents with manual labour where there are no donkeys to carry loads,” says a primary school head teacher who asked not to be named.

“Due to typography of the area which is hilly, parents have turned their children ‘donkeys’ oblivious that they are making them engage into worst forms of child labour which prevents them from concentrating in the class work,” explains the headteacher adding that unless authorities intervene, the situation could be bad.

He says most of the children who do most of this work end up dropping out of school before reaching class five or show dismal performance. Majority rarely go beyond Standard Eight.

In Kitui town, hundreds of children have abandoned school and migrated to urban centres where they are engaged as scavengers of scrap metal and hawkers of assortment of goods from supermarkets and green vegetables.

Experts in children’s issues fear that the number of school dropouts and subsequent entry into worst forms of child labour is likely to increase.

The matter is compounded by increased primary school levies being

charged in the form of examination and tuition fees as well as Parents Teachers Association (PTA) charges which have kept many children away from school.

In some of the schools, parents have to part with KSh300 as tuition fees, KSh500 examination fees and KSh850 PTA charges per term which is higher than school fees charged in day secondary schools.

A research conducted Kitui Development Centre (KDC), an indigenous nongovernmental organisation recently showed that despite introduction of free primary education, hundreds of children in the area are still out of school and engaged in child labour as domestic helps and shamba boys in the agricultural sector.

The survey also showed that most of the child workers drop out of school while in lower classes and come from households with high poverty levels. Parents use the children to earn extra income whether paid in kind or in cash.

Child Labour: Education remains elusive for pupils in Kitui Central who have to drop out of school to engage in labour in order to supplement income for their families. Bottom: Laden: A boy ferries sugarcane for at the local market.

Pictures: Ken Ndambu

Sensitize

Daniel Mwanzia, a Form Three student at Matinyani Secondary School has taken it upon himself to sensitize the youth on the dangers of leaving school for cheap labour.

Mwanzia, a former street boy who was once employed as a shamba boy at the age of eight, was rescued from child labour by a KDC under an International Labour Organisation (ILO) programme.

The situation is set to improve following intervention by the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour being done by ILO

which has initiated a project to eliminate child labour in the area.

The district is known for being the main supplier of child labourers especially for domestic work with children being sent to other towns especially Nairobi, Thika and Mombasa.

Through Strategic National Action Plan (SNAP) Kenya Project, at least 3,000 children in worst forms of child labour will be assisted to lead decent lives.

“The project targeting Kitui, Kilifi and Busia aims to create an enabling environment to establish models for child labour free zones in the country,” says Titus Kithome, the Kitui ILO-

IPEC-SNAP Coordinator. He says at the end of the 42 month project, a total of 8,155 children from the three districts will have been reached. Of these

3,700 will be removed from hazardous work, 300 protected in the work places and undertakings and 4,155 prevented from joining the labour sector.

Plight of boy child amidst absentee fathers

By ALLAN MURIMI Central Kenya is leading the country in cases of child neglect where more than 17,000 cases were reported last year.

The number of neglected children has been increasing yearly from 9,804 cases reported in 2007 to 17,678 cases reported last year.

The National Council for Children Services says 98 per cent of the cases are reported by mothers after the fathers leave the families and move to second marriages.

According to Hellen Waweru, chairperson National Council for Children Services, most families are headed by women and the reaction to the neglect has been battering of men.

Speaking to journalists on child related issues in Nyeri, Waweru

observed that absence of fathers has made the boy child lack a role model. “This is why the boys in the region have less confidence than the girls,” she noted.

Her sentiments were echoed by Ahmed Hussein Director of Children Services who said that 65 per cent of households in the region are headed by women and the boy child has lost direction.

“Boys used to be trained and educated on their roles as men after circumcision but due to absence of fathers they are now looking to their peers and that has led to the rise of illegal gangs like Mungiki who recruit boys in primary school,” Hussein noted.

He said the council is encouraging parents to take the boys to church organised rites of passage adding the community cannot be

Lack of parental supervision leads youths to form illegal groups. Picture: Reject Correspondent changed ‘overnight’.

Waweru said the region has the smallest number of children in the country as fathers have abdicated their role.

The population of children in the region stands at 42 per cent compared to 52 per cent in the country and the council says most classrooms are empty.

Waweru said this has been a result of monogamy and family plan-

ning for some women and lack of men to sire children for others.

“The men do not want to go near where children are made and they must wake up and become responsible,” she said.

“Paternity disputes are also prevalent and the greatest hindrance is the cost of DNA which the majority of the affected mothers cannot afford,” observed Waweru.

There are also many cases of child

sexual abuse including incest which is rampant but few perpetrators are convicted.

The council blamed late reporting to authorities and poor prosecution which has led to many of the cases being thrown out of court for lack of enough evidence.

Child labour has also been on the increase in quarries, coffee and tea plantations, and in the rice growing areas of Mwea.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

23

Government puts paedophiles and other child abusers on notice

Although reports of child abuse have continued to infiltrate the media, it has done little to improve the plight of a significant number of children. Those who have suffered sexual abuse are forced to live quietly with the scars as justice continues to elude them.

It is against this backdrop that Professor Jacqueline Oduol, Secretary for Children Affairs talked to Carolyne Oyugi on various measures that the government has put in place to protect the Kenyan child.

Q. What would you say is the cause of the increasing number of child abuse cases in Kenya?

Prof. Oduol: Lack of parental responsibility is the number one cause of the increasing number of child labor and abuse in the society.

I believe that the families and the wider community which is expected to safely guard children’s issues is the same one that covers the sins and crimes in the society.

Q. What is the most prevalent form of child abuse based on reports reaching your offices?

Prof. Oduol: Although Children’s rights have been abused in the country for a long time, Sexual abuse has been increasing at a very fast speed.

Incest in particular has been reported severally to my office and we are working on ways of controlling and eventually stopping it.

It is however very challenging because contrary to the common belief where people take cover under culture, where they think it is a taboo for blood relatives to have a sexual relationship, the vice is increasing across the country. Very close blood relatives are defiling, sodomising and even raping children within their homes.

Q. Are there any measures that your department has taken to ensure that children are safe at home and in the community?

Prof. Oduol: The government has put a number of measures and policies to ensure that children living within the Kenyan borders are safe and enjoy their rights like any other citizens as stipulated in the constitution and Child protection ACT. Orphans do not have to be taken out of the family but the link to the family should be formal and appropriate.

Kenyans should rethink about adoption of orphaned children. Kinship is natural and most orphans usually end up living with relatives who might not be able to take care of them or even end up mistreating them.

We are therefore sensitizing and encouraging the relatives to adopt these children so as to be directly responsible for their well being.

We are aware that poverty is another cause of children’s agony because the guardians consider them as a liability hence engaging them in child prostitution and child trafficking.

Adoption makes it possible for the government to have clear records and channel cash transfers meant for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children.

Q. What are the major challenges facing your department when handling incest cases?

Prof. Oduol: This belief that incest is a taboo has made the crime go unreported in order to avoid stigma and shame. Mothers have also been reported to cover for their husbands in cases where they (the husbands) are the perpetrators of the offence against their daughters.

The procedure followed when reporting

these cases to the police is another obstacle.

No one wants to take the Burden of Proof and some parents and guardians are not even aware of what they should do when handling sexual offences against children.

There are many cases where children have been bathed and cloths washed instead of preserving the evidence.

In many cases also there is lack of witnesses.

Since the perpetrators are people known to the children and the people around them, very few people or none might be willing to appear in court as witnesses.

The neighbors might be willing to report the case but no one wants to take responsibility and appear in court as a witness hence many cases are dropped along the way.

The trend is however varied from one region to another. The government should recognize this growing phenomenon and people need to be held accountable for their actions.

Q. Have you received cases involving children who are mentally challenged?

Prof Oduol: The ministry is very much concerned about the violation of children living with Mental Disabilities.

These children are at a higher risk because apart from being young and defenseless, they can not communicate well. Most of them behave and reason younger than their ages and yet physically mature.

They are also dependant on people and they have to be helped in doing most things including personal things like bathing. This therefore exposes them more to the care givers who have ill intentions.

Professor Jacqueline Oduol, Secretary for Children Affairs. Picture: Carolyne Oyugi Q. Street families seem to have re-established themselves in the Nairobi as well as major towns. Is your office aware?

Prof.Oduol: Street families are a social phenomenon that has become a nuisance in the society. They are however not to be neglected but to be protected like any other Kenyan. Their reasons for being in the streets keep changing.

Some of them were born in the streets and they have been there from generation to generation. Others are abused in their homes and so they find solace in the streets.

Q. There seem to be a low level of awareness regarding measures being taken by your office to protect children, are there any efforts to sensitize the public?

Prof. Oduol: I am concerned about how the public is ignorant of what is happening in my office.

The media has also been giving us a black out and getting information from the NGOs hence what we do in this department is not known to most Kenyans all they hear is frequent complains of laxity from the Governments side.

Ministry moves to improve transition rates

By FAITH MUIRURI The Ministry of Education has introduced a double shift programme in selected public secondary schools in the country in a bid to increase transition rates.

The programme which is currently being implemented in ten schools on a pilot basis, seeks to tap on the existing facilities to capture the large number of students currently out of school for lack of enough learning facilities.

The schools in the programme include Rware High School (Nyeri South), Afraha High School (Nakuru), Kisumu Day (Kisumu East), Tudor Day Secondary (Mombasa), Kericho Day (Kericho), Nakuru Day (Nakuru), Kapsoya (Eldoret East), Lions High School (Kisumu East), Changamwe Secondary (Mombasa) and Ruaraka High School (Nairobi).

Each school has received KSh6 million to assist in the hiring of additional teachers, purchase of instructional materials, school and laboratory equipments.

Rates

This is in addition to the Free Secondary Education (FSE) funds disbursed based on student’s enrolment.

According to the Deputy Director of Secondary and Tertiary Education S. Kuria, the programme will help solidify and sustain the gains already made in the sector.

The overall objective is providing education that is free and compulsory, affordable and accessible especially to families and children from low social-economic strata of society.

According Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo, enrolment in primary schools has risen from 5.9 million to 9.6 million pupils in 2012.

Mutula observed that since the government introduced Free Day Secondary Education in 2008, the enrolment has increased from 800,000 to 1.7 million students in 2012.

“As a result, transition rates from primary to secondary has risen from 47 per cent in 2003 to 72.5 per cent in 2012. This is above UNESCO benchmark of 70 per cent,” Kilonzo applauded.

However, a significant number of the primary school pupils who sit for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams every year still do not progress to the next level.

Kuria is nonetheless upbeat that the scenario is likely to change. He says the new programme has the potential to double the enrolment figures at the secondary school level without increasing the facilities.

“The programme is advantageous in that enrolment figures are set to go up especially in urban areas where there is insufficient land available for new schools or enlarging existing schools,” he noted during an interview with the Reject.

Only mixed day secondary schools have been included in the pilot project to tap on the large number of students, who have been left out due to the few places available for admission in secondary schools.

“We are focusing basically on schools in urban setups where the number of students who want join secondary schools far outweigh the available opportunities,” he explained.

The double shift concept is all about two schools in one, where learning is divided strategically to bring more students in school.

“In the pilot stage, a double shift is considered as one school and therefore, there is only one head teacher in charge of the school. However there are two deputy head teachers, one responsible for the morning shift and the other for the afternoon shift,” he elaborated.

Kuria said that the time table for the morning shift commences at 7am and runs up to 12.30pm with five hours of learning.

“At 12.30 pm, the first shift breaks for lunch, co-curriculum activities, private studies and clubs and then go home. The second shift begins

with co- curricular activities, private studies and lunch,” he explained.

He said that schools implementing the concept have registered impressive results adding that the plan will be replicated to other schools in the next financial year.

Implementing schools

To qualify for double shift, the implementing school must be located three to five kilometres from a primary school with a minimum population of 2,000 pupils.

Other factors for consideration include: • The secondary school must be the only one within 5km radius that can operate a double shift to avoid duplication.

• The school must have adequate facilities like classrooms and laboratories that can sustain double shift.

• The school must have a minimum classroom ratio of 45:1 • The school must have a reliable water supply.

• The school must have a title deed/ allotment letter to indicate land ownership.

• The school must have adequate playing grounds and recreational facilities.

• The school sponsor and other stakeholders must be willing to pilot the double shift.

In June last year, fresh guidelines were issued to help in the implementation of double shift program.

In a circular copied to all Provincial Directors of Education, school under the programme shall be allowed to hire additional BOG teachers at a maximum rate of 14,000 per month per teacher depending on qualifications and experience.

The circular stated that if teachers on the TSC payroll teach additional lessons in the second shift, they will be paid at a rate agreed on with the Ministry of Education.

“Given the intensity of the programme, the BOG are required to provide lunch and transport to such teachers. The BOG are to evaluate

staffing levels in the school and distribute duties to accommodate double shift,” read the circular in part.

The TSC teachers will be divided into two shifts so that each shift has a share of both TSC and BOG teachers.

Schools will be required to purchase additional facilities such as computers, printers, chairs and desks for alternate shift students to keep their books.

The school routine shall be adjusted so as to begin at 7am for the morning shift and 1pm for the afternoon shift.

The programme comes in the midst of other ongoing reforms in the education sector that have resulted in the expansion of secondary schools. The number of secondary schools has increased from 4,071 in 2003 to the current 6,432. The increase is attributed to CDF and LATF infrastructural investment into the sub sector. In 2007 public secondary schools recorded the highest share of 5,127 of the total number of schools constituting 79.1 per cent.

During the same year, Rift Valley recorded the highest number of schools at 1,178 followed

by Eastern (1,111) and Nyanza (1,083). North Eastern recorded the lowest number of public schools with only 44 schools. Rift Valley registered the highest number of Private Secondary Schools with 376 while North Eastern registered only 13.

The programme is, however, faced with challenges with teachers being overstretched to cover both shifts. Education Secretary George Godia nevertheless says that more in service teachers will be recruited through the Constituency Development Fund to address teacher shortages.

Currently, the shortage of teachers in public schools stands at 60,000.

He says the double shift model has worked in other developed countries and Sierra Leone and is optimistic that it will work in Kenya.

24

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

Schools look for alternative sources of income

By WILSON ROTICH

As schools grapple with the high cost of Free Primary Education (FPE), pressure is mounting on the government to revise its policies to enable pupils to learn. However, some schools have introduced income generating projects to enable the administrator clear outstanding bills.

However, the move is still eliciting mixed reactions with detractors citing corruption.

At Kericho Highlands Primary School, the board has built modern stalls along the fence and rented them out so that it can pay for the school debts.

some leaders are threatening to go to court to block any activities at the school following the construction of the stalls.

Rutoh explained that a group led by former chairmen and mayors are dissatisfied claiming that the school has been invaded by businessmen.

However, Koech dismissed this saying that since he joined the institution they have been experiencing difficulties in settling bills.

“The stalls which were constructed along the

Burden

By JOSEPH MUKUBWA Thousands of youths in both Kieni East and West districts are set to benefit following the establishment of the Kieni Youth Empowerment Centre.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports joined hands with Kieni Constituency Development Fund to construct the centre, which seeks to equip local youth with technical skills.

Some of the lessons they will learn include: leadership training, club activities, mind training, free lessons on computer, talent/creative activities, as well as languages, which include French, Chinese and Korean, among others.

The youths will also be trained on the modern methods of farming, such as drip irrigation, and modern ways of bee-keeping, value addition on farm produce and creating best market and employment at the ever competitive global scene.

The lessons will be offered by trainers from the Korean based International Youth Fellowship for free, and is intended for all youths from the area.

“The launching of the youth centre will help to eliminate the dependency culture as well as fight idleness, ignorance as well as opening youth opportunities to the global market,” said Nemesyus Warugongo, who is the area MP, while opening the centre.

Warugongo, who was accompanied by Nyeri County Council chairman Wachira Maina Keen, said the constituency CDF office will continue supporting the centre by adding KSh5 million, which will be set aside to construct the second wing of the resource centre.

“I challenge the youths to grab the opportunities at hand to enable them gain the necessary experience that will help them uplift their livelihood and also engage on things that can build a good cohesive society,” urged Warugongo.

Nyeri County Council chairman said the youth centre will go a long way in supporting unemployed youth in Kieni, and will help them utilise their time wisely.

“The council would fast-track the acquisition of the necessary documents like title deeds to ensure their activities are not interrupted,” he reiterated.

Warugongo challenged local youths to go for the Youth Enterprise Fund, saying about 80 youth groups have already benefited with KSh4 million in the constituency.

He noted that the KSh3.3 million meant for the youth groups are still lying in the bank unused.

Confidence

Koech is confident that they are acting with the support and authority of the community and in the spirit of cost sharing. He lashed out at those leaders whom he termed as anti-development because they keep locking out children who are from poor families from enjoy-

“The school is currently faced with a myriad of challenges and can hardly pay for consumable like water while bills have accumulated to KSh2 million,”

According to Simon Koech, the board chairman, this will reduce the burden from parents and empower the school to manage its affairs like other neighbouring institutions, which have developed tea bushes to earn income for their schools.

Speaking to The Reject in Kericho, Councillor Elijah Rutoh Salat of Majengo Ward, said

Youths to benefit from empowerment Centre

circumference of the school are are also acting as fences besides assisting the school earn income,” noted Koech.

— Simon Koech

ing modern facilities like electricity and water.

“The school is currently faced with a myriad of challenges and can hardly pay for consumables like water while bills have accumulated to KSh2 million,” said Koech.

The water bill has not been paid since 2003 when the Government abolished fees in public primary schools after introduction of the Free Primary Education. According to Koech, this led to an upsurge in school enrolment and the figure has been going up every year.

“Parents have refused to pay the bill and complained to the Ministry of Education saying they were being forced to pay the debt,” noted Koech.

He said following this and other issues, which are affecting the school, the board decided to initiate income generating projects to enable the school manage its operations.

Constructed during the colonial days for children of the Asian community, the school was handed over to the public after independence. The school which is strategically situated in the central business district, has a population of over 2,000 pupils.

Poverty compounds girls’ vulnerability

By DORCAS AKELLO Despite dramatic gains in primary school enrolments in Suba District over the past years, the gender gap in access, attainment and achievement in education continue to worsen with the situation most visible in secondary schools where less than 10 per cent of girls complete high school.

Out of 10 girls in schools in Form One in the district, eight are either pregnant or HIV positive, the risk of girls dropping out of school is also high as many do not consider education to be of major value in their lives.

In the whole area of approximately 10,000 persons, there are not more than 10 girls who have completed secondary school education, and not more than four

who have gone to university level.

There are also cultural practices, which place girls and women in more danger of being infected with HIV. The village’s proximity to the beach and the business activities generalized by the influx of fishermen around the beach has immensely contributed to the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted infections in the area.

James Oluor, a fisherman from one of the beaches says: “If these girls want fish and do not have money, the only way I can help them is to sleep with them in exchange of services.” He notes that at times it is unprotected sex because there is no time to buy condoms.

The emergence of HIV and the high incidences recorded in the Suba District has impacted nega-

tively to education. The lack of access to educational infrastructure in the district has contributed to the poor education facilities in the district. Girls here have been the greatest victims.

“It is clear that the lives of girls and women are tied together.

Women cannot advance if girls do not advance. Improvement in women’s lives cannot be sustained if the girls are not given the right tools and opportunities to realise their full potential,” says Samuel Mboga, Assistant Education Officer, Rachuonyo District.

“These tools and opportunities can only be given to the girls through education. Because of their vulnerability to HIV infection, even though they are especially disadvantaged because most families would rather edu-

cate their sons than daughters,” Mboga notes.

Nyamasare Girls’ High School was started in 2002 by the community to provide opportunities for girls to go to school.

The idea was to encourage girl child education and due to the long distances that the girls had to travel daily in search for education.

“Life in the rural area is not a materially comfortable one for any child, but it is especially difficult for the African girl child. Girls do not get equal opportunities with boys in education or development opportunities,” says Adah Ochieng, a teacher in the area.

She asserts: “The girls are the women of tomorrow and there can only be improvement in the lives of women if girls are given tools to realise their true potential.”

Kenyans urged to support vulnerable children

By CATHERINE MURINGI Former Information and Communication Minister Mutahi Kagwe has appealed to the Government to put more emphasis on children’s homes and the disadvantaged youth.

Mutahi said that, although Kenyans and the Government are trying, a lot more needs to be done. He urged Nyeri County residents not to leave the issue of children to the Government alone.

He said that the issue of street children should be a public-private sector arrangement.

“I propose that the children’s homes adopt a slight marketing strategy in the sense that, like today they can give us a form to fill, which basically indicates that at the end of every month, you can give KSh200 or more which goes straight to the homes,” suggested Kagwe.

He said many Kenyans would like to contribute to such a programme, if it existed and the opportunity availed but lacked the means to do so.

Mutahi said that the spirit of giving is there among Kenyans, but a plan and system needs to be created to make it possible for them to donate.

He urged fellow politicians to assist in looking for funding for such institution.

He also called upon the people of Nyeri to ensure that there are no children in the area who are not cared for, irrespective of their background.

“It is not just a moral challenge. It is a spiritual and constitutional challenge and therefore mine is to appeal to fellow Kenyans and Nyerians to find a way of contributing to this call,” noted Mutahi.

Speaking at the same meeting, an Assistant Minister for Lands, Bifwoli Wakoli echoed Kagwe’s sentiments. “People should assist in improving the lives of the children regardless of how small there contributions are,” Wakoli said.

He urged the Government and other political aspirants to

“It is not just a moral challenge. It is a spiritual and constitutional challenge and therefore mine is to appeal to fellow Kenyans and Nyerians to find a way of contributing to this call.”

— Mutahi Kagwe

initiate a programme to assist such children, as they are the leaders of tomorrow.

“All these children have parents, how sure are you that I did not leave one for the time I slept in Nyeri,” joked Wakoli.

They were speaking during a thanks-giving event at Thunguma Children and Youth Empowerment Centre (CYEC).

The event was meant to mark seven years since the centre was formed.

The Centre provides a home and other services for former street children and youth, those at high risk of joining street life, and the young people of Nyeri town and surrounding areas in general. They are offered various training and educational services that include early childhood education, primary school, secondary school, vocational skills training, adult and continuous learning, higher education and life skills training.

ISSUE 064, June 15-30, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Day of the African Child

25

Climate change puts children in harm’s way

By JOYCE CHIMBI Children in disaster prone countries have expressed their opinion on challenges they face and what they need to stay safe from disaster in an environment with drastic climatic changes that range from heavy rainfall, floods and earthquakes.

This was revealed in a recent research released on May 12, 2012 by the Children in a Changing Climate which is a coalition of leading child-focused research, development and humanitarian organisations committed to working with children as agents of change.

Consultations for this research were carried out in 21 countries, among them Kenya, and involved 600 children.

Thousands of Kenyan children living in the slums face potential disasters in light of the heavy down pour that has been experienced in the past few weeks.

John Morris, Country Director Plan International-Kenya who are part of the six organisations that form the Children in a Changing Climate coalition says: “Fundamental rights of children include the rights to protection and to education. This is for all children at all times, even when disasters strike.

Regularly, somewhere in Kenya every year children are displaced with their parents and communities because of floods and drought.”

Morris further explains that in such circumstances children, already the most vulnerable people in the community, are even more at risk. “It is, therefore, vital that everyone including duty bearers such as the local government, law enforcement agencies and parents and careers but also relief and development agencies such as Plan International do all they can to ensure that children remain in a protected environment safe from harm and exploitation.”

Strategies

Minister for Special Programs Esther Murugi, who spearheads leadership in developing risk reduction measures and disaster management, has fervently called for the “realisation of the importance of effective social protection strategies for children as a vulnerable group. For the protection of a child, strategies have to begin today for tomorrow may be too late.”

She notes: “Kenya is a signatory to many international and regional conventions on the rights and welfare of children, we can all do something within our ability to alleviate their suffering and create a sense of belonging.”

In the meantime, without proper sanitation forcing residents to dispose of garbage on every available space, Mukuru kwa Njenga, which according to the Ministry of housing is one of the 200 slums in Nairobi, is impassable. Runoff water from the heavy

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rains mixed with garbage and in some instances open sewer pose unimaginable levels of health problems.

The situation is further complicated by the illegal tapping of electricity that is common across major slums.

“More than 70 per cent of the slums lack electricity because provision of energy is controlled by government owned firm Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) and since slums settlements are classified as illegal, they don’t qualify for installation,” explains Moses Oguda, an official with the Rural Electrification Programme, Nyanza.

This has, however, not hindered slum dwellers from using electricity. A casual walk around the slum reveals dangerous wires dangling from various walls. Visitors gape and do the best they can to keep a safe distance. For the residents, there is nothing strange about the situation.

Having been raised in these circumstances, children understand that this wires are a no go zone, but the rules are not so easy to follow when it rains and the heavy down pour interferes with the amateurish wiring done by the residents.

Lost lives

The electrical wires, therefore, loosen up and fall onto the ground and are covered by the muddy water making them inconspicuous. Children have lost their lives in these circumstances by stepping on live wires.

In spite of the looming disaster, children chase each other around the slum oblivious of the lurking danger.

“This is how we have always lived; we tap electricity for cooking and lighting because household energy is too expensive. I have lived in various slums for many years and I have seen children electrocuted when they have stepped on live wires. All we do is mourn, blame the government and move on,” explains Teresia Nyaguthie, a resident of Mukuru kwa Njenga, a slum in Embakasi constituency, Nairobi.

As children in the slums grapple with various disasters, their counterpart in rural areas are not fairing any better. Rift Valley region being the breadbasket of the country enjoys very heavy rainfalls leaving rivers bursting their banks with excess water.

“Often where there has been a foot bridge it is either swept away or submerged posing serious challenges to the residents and especially children who have to walk to school,” explains Kimutai Cherop, a resident of Eldoret Town, Rift Valley region.

It is 3 pm in the afternoon and a lone figure of nine year old Nancy Chepkemboi trudges home. To keep

Children go home from school. They are forced to walk in flooded areas due to climate change.

Picture: Reject Correspondent her head dry from the heavy rains, Chepkemboi has placed her books inside her shirt and used a polythene bag that is her school bag to cover her head.

The little girl cannot afford to have her books wet because her class teacher will send her home, neither does she want to expose her head to the rain.

With her teeth cluttering from the cold, she says that for the past few days she has had to walk home in the rain.

“Every pupil rushes home when it rains, usually it is so that we can help in catching rain water and other household chores. Our parents are not happy when we get home late, so we hurry in the rain,” explains Titus Kimosop, a primary school student in Eldoret.

It is worse when there is a bridge to cross. Kamiti River is one of the largest in Kiambu County, Central Kenya. The river snakes through regions that are highly inhabited and although the residents of these regions have attempted to construct foot bridges, they usually do not withstand high rainfall.

Disaster

Charles Mwangi, a primary school pupil explains how he and his friends escaped a disaster with their lives.

“It is very rare to find a student with an umbrella because, not many homes have one anyway. So we all walk home in the rain. To get home, most of us from school have to cross Kamiti River.

On this day the bridge had been submerged, rather than walk an extra two kilometres but be safe, we decided to swim across.”

Unfortunately, the river was deeper

than they had anticipated and the waters proved too much for Mwangi and he begun to drown. “I called out to the other boys to help me but all of us were under 12 years and they couldn’t really lift me, so they all begun shouting and as luck would have it, a man who was working in a nearby farm heard us and came to the rescue.”

It is even once when some of these children have to go home to camps for the internally displaced people and risk being swept away by the waters while sleeping in their makeshift homes.

“The rains pour and we all hurdle into the camp, some of these children have been born in the camps. My three year old now has pneumonia, the eldest boy who is ten years has developed chest problems because even during the hot season, it becomes extremely cold at night,” explains Nduta Kamau, a resident of Ebenezer camp in Naivasha, Rift Valley region.

In light of the heavy rainfall and possible flashfloods, various leaders have advised their constituents to take the necessary precautions particularly in ensuring that children who are most vulnerable are kept out of harm’s way.

Nominated MP Maison Leshomo from Laikipia West in Rift Valley, a region that is prone to flash floods has repeatedly urged the government to put intervention measures in place to avert the kind of deaths that were witnessed last year where by May, an estimated 86 lives were lost in floods disaster when River Nzoia burst its banks.

“At the moment, the road from Karandi to Kiambogo primary school is still in bad shape since the bridge

Executive Director: Rosemary Okello Editor: Jane Godia Sub-Editors: Joyce Chimbi, Carolyne Oyugi and Faith Muiruri Designer: Noel Lumbama Contributors: Faith Muiruri, Ruth Omukhango, Joyce Chimbi, David Njagi, Robert Wanjala, Abjata Khalif, Gilbert Ochieng, Henry Owino, Lucy Langat, Oloo Janak, Steve Mucheru, Carolyne Oyugi, Alex Ndirangu, Mwangi Ndirangu, Shem Suchia, Martin Murithi, Abisai Amugune, Karani Kelvin, Peter Kings, Joseph Mukubwa, Cosmas Ekuwam, Izzoh De Paparazi, Gilbert Ochieng, Robby Ngojhi, Okwembah Nehemiah, Henry Kahara, Robert Nyagah, Wilson Rotich, Dorcas Akello, Catherine Muringi, Wangari Mwangi, Ken Ndambu and Allan Murimi.

was washed away during last year’s rainy season. Efforts to get it repaired have been fruitless,” explains Peter Leseni, a parent in Laikipia West, Rift Valley region.

Although the country has been suffering a series of failed rain due to climatic changes, the rains are here and have been heavier than expected across the country. It is a welcome relief but a double edged sword as thousands of children are exposed to potentially dangerous situations.

The Kenya Meteorological Department has confirmed that Rift Valley and Western parts of the country are set to continue experiencing heavy rainfall until August this year.

Nonetheless, Murugi affirms that the government is “spearheading the development of a National Social Protection Policy that will provide a comprehensive frame work in addressing the needs of children.”

According to Plan InternationalKenya, in time of disaster such as displacement due to floods, immediate intervention should work towards ensuring that children continue their education, for instance through the rapid mobilization of volunteer teachers, sourcing of safe spaces and provision of basic learning materials.

All these should be done with an ultimate aim to provide “an early anchor to normality and source of support and assurance. This is why Plan has prioritised child protection and education as key aspects in its emergency work and is a major moving force behind this charter and initiative”, Morris concludes.

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