Garissa leaders, activists appeal for support for region's only rescue centre

A section of leaders and activists from Garissa are calling on the government and well wishers to support the only girls rescue centre in the area.

Umulkheir Girls school located in the outskirts of Garissa town offers schooling for marginalised girls, including orphans, children from low-income families, and minority communities.

The centre, which is up to Junior Secondary School, traces its roots trace to 1995 and is run by Womankind Kenya- a non governmental organisation.

However, the centre is grappling with numerous challenges such as inadequate learning materials, uniforms and dignity kits, lack of computer labs, insufficient  beddings and inadequate infrastructural facilities including latrines and bathrooms.

Speaking at the centre during Open Day celebrations on Saturday, Gender and Youth county Executive Hawa Abdi said the school needs more support.

“We are all aware that cases of gender based violence [GBV] and FGM continue to be reported in this region and this institution has always come in handy since victims are always brought here which has ended up becoming like their second home,” Abdi said.

She urged the government to extend the school to secondary school status, to help the girls complete their education without interruptions.

Ebla Minhaj, the Education executive, asked stakeholders to support the centre through scholarships, donations of learning and other resources and infrastructural improvement.

Womankind Kenya's programs co-ordinator Halima Hussein said over 1,000 pupils have benefited from the home.

“What inspired the founders of the centre was after seeing some of the challenges girls were going through in the community. Girls were being subjected to a lot of harmful and retrogressive cultural practices like child marriages, FGM, rape as well as wife battering and today I can confidently say that the centre has become a safe heaven for the victims,” Hussein said.

Over the years, the home has expanded its scope to address a wide array of educational challenges, encompassing access to quality education, literacy programs, scholarships, and addressing traditional harmful practices.

Hussein however said despite their success story, they have been unable to support a much a bigger  number because of limited resources.

“I call upon all actors including the government, well wishers as well as donors who have the passion for girl child protection and education to support this girls in this home so that we also have a secondary school where they can now transition to senior secondary then to University,” she said.

The programmes coordinator appreciated the partners that continue to  support the home including the Dr Ekman Foundation, Mpesa Foundation, Direct Aid, KCB and Equity banks, Jkuat Foundation and Unicef.

National Gender and Equality Commission North Eastern regional head Abdiwahab Ibrahim lauded Womankind for being on the forefront in protecting the rights of girls.

Ibrahim disclosed the region has the highest occurrences of GBV and FGM.

“As NGEC we will continue working closely with this centre, the department of children services and other non governmental organisation to protect the rights of girls in the region.

“We require a multi faceted approach in dealing with the gender violence cases because the government alone cannot win this war. The efforts and collaborations of all stakeholders including members of the community,” he added.

He encouraged parents and guardians to report any FGM and GBV cases through the hotline number 116 for swift action against the perpetrators.

According to the Kenya Demographic Health survey [KDHS] 2022 Mandera and Wajir Counties have an FGM prevalence of 97 % while in Garissa it stands at 83 %.