Homa Bay teens mentored to tame pregnancies, HIV infections during school holidays

Justice and Mercy (Jam) organisation is undertaking mentoring programme for adolescents during the ongoing school holiday to cushion them from indulging in social ills.

Jam is undertaking the training initiative on boys and girls drawn from Kasipul, Kabondo Kasipul and Rangwe constituencies.

Most of the learners undertaking the programme are candidates preparing for their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination.

Jam executive director Kennedy Okoth said their objective is to fight teenage pregnancies and drug abuse which makes girls and boys drop out of school.

“The high teenage pregnancies and other vices that interfere with the education of our children occur when schools are closed. The training is aimed at eradicating the vices,” Okoth said.

Homa Bay is one of the counties with the highest rate of teenage pregnancies.

According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey of 2022, the county has a teenage pregnancy prevalence rate of 23.2 per cent.

Speaking during the mentorship programme in Oyugis town on Friday, Okoth called for concerted efforts in the fight against a high prevalence rate of teenage pregnancies in Homa Bay.

The students were also sensitised on drug abuse which affects a number of boys in schools.

“We are incorporating boys in this programme because they have been neglected in many programmes yet they also have challenges,” he added said.

He said their objective is to ensure children get proper guidance on their careers. This will motivate them to be diligent in their studies.

Mentors Grace Otieno, Evelyn Ongogo and Evaline Okoth said they are training the students for them to have a positive attitude towards life.

Otieno said they are also training the students on communication and emotional intelligence.

“The training helps students to withstand peer pressure which predisposes them to the risks of losing direction in life,” Otieno said.

Evaline called for financial support from well-wishers to enable them to expand their programme.

She said the availability of finance would enable them to expand to other areas and reach more learners.

“I appeal to well-wishers to support us so that we can expand the programme,” she said.