Water shortage and child trafficking emerge as major threats to children in Garissa

Students of Iftin Comprehensive School at the event./STEPHEN ASTARIKO

A crippling water shortage that is keeping children out of classrooms and an alarming rise in child trafficking have emerged as twin threats facing children in Garissa County.

The concerns dominated this year’s Day of the African Child celebrations at Iftin Comprehensive School, where leaders, education stakeholders and child rights advocates called for urgent intervention to protect children’s future.

Held under the theme, “Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Every Child in Africa,” the event highlighted how lack of clean water continues to disrupt education across the county.

Speakers said many children are being forced to spend hours searching for water instead of attending school.

The reality was captured by Grade Six pupil and child guest speaker Saadia Mohamed, who described the burden children carry because of persistent water shortages.

“As we are all aware, water is life. It is everything in itself. Unfortunately, in this part of the country, this precious commodity has been rare to find. As children, we bear the biggest burden,” she said.

“Some children fail to go to school because they have to accompany their parents in search of water far away from their homes. These should not be happening in this day and age.”

Garissa Township Education Officer Nasteha Ali said poor access to water and sanitation is directly hurting children's education outcomes.

“A child who lacks access to clean drinking water is more likely to suffer from waterborne diseases,” she said.

She added that schools without proper sanitation facilities negatively affect attendance, concentration, dignity and academic performance, with girls being the hardest hit.

“Girls are particularly affected when schools lack safe and private sanitation facilities, often resulting in absenteeism and school dropout,” she said.

Nasteha blamed recurrent droughts, climate change and inadequate water infrastructure for worsening the crisis.

She called for joint action by both levels of government, development partners, civil society organisations and communities to ensure every school has reliable water sources and adequate sanitation facilities.

However, beyond the water crisis, another growing threat took centre stage.

Nasteha warned that children and young people are increasingly being trafficked under the guise of seeking better opportunities abroad.

“Our youth and school-going children are being trafficked in the name of being taken to greener pastures,” she said.

She revealed that many are trafficked through Sudan en route to Libya.

“We have seen on social media our children being beaten and their parents being asked to pay ransoms amounting to almost three million shillings,” she said.

Garissa County Children’s Officer Benjamin Kinywa termed child trafficking one of the county’s biggest child protection challenges.

“The issue of child trafficking has become so rampant. Since the start of this year, we have had eleven cases of children who have been trafficked. To date, they are still missing,” he said.

“This should concern all of us. It is not a government issue alone; it involves all stakeholders, including parents who have a very big role in ensuring that their children are safe.”

State Department for Gender representative Mukanda Daglas also raised concern over Female Genital Mutilation, early marriages and defilement.

“The government will remain steadfast in protecting the rights of children. Children should also know their rights and report whenever those rights are infringed upon,” he said.

Participants at the event called for collective action to tackle the challenges facing children and strengthen efforts to guarantee their safety, education and well-being.

The Day of the African Child is commemorated annually on June 16 to honour the 1976 Soweto uprising and advocate for children's rights across the continent.

Nasteha Ali, Education Officer for Garissa Township speaking to the press. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO