Girls speak out on teen woes in Kwale

Deep in the interior of Kwale county, we come across a group of energetic girls sitting under a tree, conversing seriously with the community at Mbuguni in Matuga subcounty.

The sun's heat is strong, but the tree shade provides a haven for the people underneath.

Regardless of their age, the group has brought together community elders and parents.

The girls are sensitising the community against teenage pregnancies, teen marriages, sexual exploitation and child labour.

For many years, these social ills have been a source of pain in the lives of many girls in Kwale, stealing their dignity and destroying their future.

However, the group of girls has tirelessly stood against all odds to spearhead community behavioural change and advocate for the rights of girls and women.

This is through capacity building and empowerment.

Today, the girls have become a source of inspiration as they venture to bring about equity and a just society. 

Mwanaharusi Mwatabu is among the girls leading the community dialogues to make a change in the grassroots, where taboos and outdated cultures undermine women's and girls’ rights.

She said the social ills are most prevalent in rural areas due to poverty, harsh climatic conditions and life hardships.

"We are focusing on educating communities about girls' education, empowerment and equality," Mwatabu said.

"Most outdated traditions and cultures are still widely practised in rural areas due to the hardship nature and remoteness of the villages."

Girls are easily falling for petty cash as they try to access some of the crucial basic needs, such as sanitary pads, food and upkeep money.

Lack of sanitary towels, child neglect and improper upbringing are some of the primary causes of teen pregnancies and child marriages.

In addition to sensitisation and awareness campaigns, the girls also advocate for improved menstrual hygiene and parental responsibilities.

Mwatabu said the dialogues have helped eliminate some of the flaws that contribute to the violation of girls' and women's rights.

'SHE LEADS'

Mwatabu is among hundreds of girls who are beneficiaries of a five-year project called She Leads, which is part of the Network for Adolescents and Youth of Africa and is funded by Terre Des Hommes.

The programme was started in 2021. It is being implemented in three subcounties: Matuga, Msambweni and Lunga Lunga, with more than 600 girls directly benefiting across the county.

The project aims to increase girls' and young women's long-term influence on decision-making and gender transformation in formal and informal institutions.

It also promotes advocacy campaigns to support girls' education, leadership, self-awareness, equal rights and opportunities to end gender-based violence and empower them socioeconomically.

NAYA programme associate Esther Ndinya said with the She Leads programme, they are dealing with female youth between the ages of 14 and 30 to stand up for their rights and take leadership positions.

She said in each subcounty, girls reach out to their colleagues at ward levels to rescue and create awareness of women's empowerment and their rights.

The initiative the Mbuguni girls have taken in sensitising the community against GBV is part of the many benefits the programme has achieved.

“The girls have numerous mini projects they are doing to rescue women from injustices in their areas and help them get justice and promote equity,” Ndinya said.

Despite many girls undergoing GBV, their stories are swept under the carpet because communities presume the injustices are normal, hence the need for community dialogues.

For years, many girls could not get a proper education because the community considered their education to be not resourceful.

"In many families, girls don't have voices and parents opt to terminate learning just after Class 8 because some parents still believe that women's role is to give birth and raise children at home,” she said.

The officer said the She Leads programme came to empower girls socioeconomically and give them a voice to stand against the injustices.

She said the girls are linked to other NGOs, government education and employment opportunities and are imparted with business and job skills through various programmes.

The officer said the community dialogues have seen many girls being rescued from gender-based violence and empowered and can now compete favourably.

CHANGED PERCEPTION

Mwatabu said the dialogues have helped eliminate some of the flaws that contribute to the violation of girls' and women's rights.

Their initiative has been well received by the community, which is embracing norm change and a shift in attitudes toward girls and women.

"At first, it was difficult to bring together a group of elders and discuss women's rights," she said.

The community has since joined them in spreading the gospel of gender equity and giving girls and women a voice in society.

Many girls have been taken to school as a result of the frequent community engagement.

Mwatabu said in the past, parents prioritised boy child education, while preserving the female gender for marriages and wealth-generating purposes.

Many girls have now been empowered to stop injustices and file complaints through various legal processes, as opposed to the past, when they were abused and kept quiet.

Martha Rombosha, a parent, praised the project, saying it has had a significant impact on their lives.

Most parents were still stuck in old traditions and cultures that denigrate women.

Through the dialogues, many of them are seeing the importance of educating girls and improving their parental responsibilities.

Their children are also growing up with the right mental health and perceptions of women and girls.

At home, both girl and boy child share responsibilities as opposed to before, when one gender was perceived as superior to the other.

“My children help one another with house chores without considering which work is associated with masculine or feminine gender. They cook or wash utensils on shifts,” she said.

Another parent, Kaigo Mwayaya, said the programme enhanced his knowledge of girls' and women's rights.

He now treats both children equally and offers them equal opportunities.

"There are some of the things we used to do but didn't know we were violating girls' rights, but thanks to this project, we are empowered," Mwayaya said.

He has taken a personal initiative to create awareness of women's rights and help end GBV.

The old man said he would intensify public barazas and sensitise colleagues against GBVs at the grassroots.

He said many people violate women’s rights due to a lack of awareness.

RESTORING DIGNITY

Fatuma Dola is another girl who has greatly benefited from the She Leads programme and is leading community dialogues.

She said they hope to address problems affecting girls and strengthen collective responsibilities in protecting and advocating for women's rights.

They intend to restore hope in the already affected girls, particularly young mothers, by instilling a sense of belonging and empowering them.

She added that the She Leads project provides a platform for linkages and empowerment opportunities, where girls are trained in various business skills.

Dola said since they started, a lot of young mothers have come out and some went back to school to complete their education after years of hiding due to stigma.

Some have become entrepreneurs and great rights activists.

“We have many girls who are vocal advocates of girls' and women's rights as well as businesspeople,” she said.

Dola said young mothers are attempting to discourage teen pregnancies, while also giving affected people hope that they can still achieve their goals regardless of the situation.

She said the community dialogues have helped the girls come up with another independent project titled: 'Nipo Nisikike' (I am here to be heard), which is inspiring many people, especially women.

FM* (name withheld) is also a beneficiary of the She Leads programme. She said her life has significantly improved since she enrolled.

She was a victim of teenage pregnancy but found a new life through the girls’ empowerment programme.

FM said she got pregnant while in Form 3 at the age of 16 years.

The young mother said through the project, she finished her high school education and delved into advocacy.

“After getting pregnant, I dropped out of school and spent some years out, but when the She Leads programme came, I got the motivation to finish Form 4 and thanks to God, I am now well empowered,” she said.

FM said she is also a businesswoman, selling clothes and jewellery, an idea she got through the programme.

Mwatabu said the programme has helped her develop leadership skills and expand her network.

She said various organisations, most recently Akili Dada, have recognised her efforts.

Occasionally, she collaborates with them to promote girls' and women's rights.