Migori: Members of Community Initiative for Development (COMID-Kenya) organization in Migori have intensified efforts to empower learners in Grades 6 and 7 with knowledge and life skills aimed at combating teenage pregnancy. Speaking during an induction workshop with the learners from schools across Kuria, aimed at gauging their understanding of teenage pregnancy, Washington Jalang’o, the project manager at COMID-Kenya, said they were using arts and crafts to enable the learners to express themselves more freely on their knowledge of teenage pregnancy.
According to Kenya News Agency, the official announced that through arts and crafts, the young learners can express themselves and pass messages aimed at combating teenage pregnancies more than verbal expressions. Washington Jalang’o noted that using pencils, learners can sketch their feelings and understanding of teenage pregnancy, utilizing colors to campaign more efficiently against the issue.
Teenage pregnancy in areas like Awendo has been on the rise due to economic challenges, which have exposed young adolescent girls to sex predators. Washington explained that the area, characterized by sugarcane plantations and informal settlements, has a low economic status, making learners vulnerable to being lured.
Mwita Vincent from Kuria East, representing the County’s Department of Education, stated that retrogressive cultural practices have played a significant role in escalating teenage pregnancy. He called upon local leaders and activists to help eradicate it. He pointed out that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), used by elders as a rite of passage into adulthood, exacerbates the situation.
In regions like Kuria, where FGM is practiced, girls who undergo the cut are considered adults, leading to societal silence when they become pregnant. Despite challenges faced by activists and local administration due to cross-border migrations during peak seasons, Mwita confirmed COMID-Kenya’s engagements with the Children Advisory Committees in Migori County to address the rise in teenage pregnancy.
Joel Mwita from Safe Engage Foundation praised COMID-Kenya for its programs, highlighting that such workshops enable children to discuss daily challenges and suggest solutions to reduce risks. He noted that arts and workshops encourage learners to express themselves, increasing self-awareness and providing safe spaces for reporting challenges.
Ansela Chacha, curriculum support officer in charge of special needs education, emphasized the effects of teenage pregnancy, associating it with school dropouts and the need for menial jobs. She explained that through COMID-Kenya, programs linked to CBE have enabled affected girls to learn self-employment courses like agriculture and arts, generating income and improving economic independence.
Martinas Baltieus, a support partner from Finland, stressed that teenage pregnancy is a concern not only from a health perspective but also as a barrier to education. He called on the Kenyan government to intensify efforts in combating the issue.
