Lack of Awareness a Challenge to End Early Marriage

Today early marriage is still a reality among the pastoralist communities. Despite massive National campaigns to safe the girl child from early marriage and end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), in order to claim the rights of a child. This might not be realized any time soon since the intended beneficiaries continue to be in the dark due to lack of facilities.

It is true how campaigns to fight for the rights of the girl child are conducted in the urban areas far from the child facing early marriage. Meaning communities will continue with their cultural traditions until awareness is brought next to the door or closer to them.

Yesterday marked the first International Day of the Girl Child Celebration, with the theme, to end early marriages. With underage girls from interior areas in Kajiado North District of Kajiado County continue to face immense challenges ranging from lack of education, child labour, early marriages, FGM among other challenges. Thus the girl got nothing to celebrate especially when nobody is aware of the date.

Interviewing two girls yesterday by KNA, who are both victims of early marriage rescued through Kajiado North District Children department office; Evaline Sakai and Teresia Namnyak had a lot to speak about. Both are staying at Anita Childrens Home in Oloolua of Kajiado County after they were rescued last year at age 11 and now they are 12 years old.

Sakai who was happy to hear that yesterday marked a day to celebrate a child like her and reclaim her rights, could only communicate in Kiswahili after they have been taught in the home since the best language she understands is her Maa Mother tongue.

Sakai said she had never stepped into a school compound in her lifetime until January this year when she came to the home after being rescued from early marriage and has been enrolled at Ngong township primary.

That she was much involved in herding goats, collecting water and firewood and doing other household chores within their home at Oltinka village in Oltepesi location of Kajiado County. My father refused to enroll me in school just like my four siblings who were school going, she said, Claiming that I was still young and he would one day take me to school.

Sakai added that life was not easy at all. I was subjected to a lot of work at home and I would always retire to bed very tired, Sakai asserted.

It was until last year, not recall exactly the day when I underwent what women in my village call it female cut, on my private parts, she said. Sakai went through FGM.

Sakai noted that things changed and unknown people approached her father with three cows and a number of goats. Then my mother informed me that we were going to Kiserian Market to purchase new clothes in preparation for my marriage ceremony, she said, I knew nothing about marriage and I heed to my mothers words.

While in Kiserian people came and took me to the police station and I finally found myself in the home, she said innocently.

Sakai who has been enrolled in Nursery class to begin learning is determined to become a teacher in future; saying it is possible again. She lauded the people who came to her rescue and also calls for assistance to help rescue many others who have been married off at an early age in her village.

On the other hand, Namnyak was faced with the same challenges like Sakai, despite being a Tanzanian. She was born at a village known as Kahau in Arusha.

Namnyak said she was always involved in herding goats and other household activities in the home from her tender age and was never schooled at any one time. None of my seven siblings went to school. She said.

Namnyak recalled that in August last year she underwent female cut FGM. She deeply testified that it was a very painful experience in her life. A few days later after I recovered from the pain, my mother told me to prepare myself to go to a place far from home, adding that I was now a woman to be married off, she said.

Then one day an old man came to our homestead and talked with my father, she recalled, My father told me to accompany the man to Kenya.

Namnyak said while on the way, the old man broke the news to her that she was taking her to Kiserian to be his wife.

She said other people intercepted their journey while at Kiserian; where she was taken to the police station and the old man was arrested. She said a Children volunteer in Kiserian took her to Anita Childrens home, a place she calls home. I am in a better place now, said the proud girl.

Namnyak is now assured of her education dream, that one day she will be a living testimony in her village, after she was enrolled to school at Ngong township primary. Namnyak wishes to become a doctor in future. Adding that women in her village are faced with problems accessing medical facilities which are miles away from home and during birth they are forced to use alternative means which is only Traditional Birth Attendance (TBA); saying this is very risky and many women have lost their lives and others suffer still birth. I will ensure the people from my village access quality health facilities, she expressed herself confidently.

Speaking to KNA, Anita Childrens Home Manager, Mrs. Janine Ngezayo who is also the foster mother to the many girls in the home said the government has got a long way to go in creating awareness in the rural areas especially within pastoralists communities, to know that all children have equal right to education.

She said the two girls who had never gone to school are now catching up though they are in nursery school. We are working together with the teachers in school to consider promoting them to standard three by the end of this year, she said, They are also affected psychologically studying in one class with 3 year old babies. Ngezayo said the girls are also offered private tuition in the home.

Ngezayo said many schools in Kajiado North in the rural areas have high enrollment of boys as compared to the number of girls; thus explaining well a task yet to be conquered.

She narrated an incident where a 9 year old girl was being rescued from early marriage in the recent months that even handling the girl in the home was not easy. The girl had already gone through FGM at such a tender age, she told us, We began from teaching her how to dress on her own, yet she was taken to play the roles of a mother.

Ngezayo strongly believed that early marriage is still being practiced and very high in numbers, though many cases go unreported. She said the trend is worrying since young girls who are

supposed to be in the hands of their parents are married off at a tender age to start bearing children and take responsibilities of motherhood.

She based major contributing factors of girl child harassment (inability to access rights) on poor road networks, distant basic facilities from the communities including health and educational facilities. Ngezayo recommended an advance approach of improving the life of a girl child within pastoralist communities by providing mobile facilities like education and health clinics, since pastoralists are sparsely populated.

Kajiado North District Children Officer Ms. Vivienne Mangoli concurred with Mrs. Ngezayo that necessary facilities are lacking from the community and if it is there then they are located far away from the people especially in the interior parts of the District.

Mangoli said it is difficult to enforce law into the community who are deeply rooted in their cultural traditions, but the rights of a girl child can only be achieved through regular awareness campaigns. Since the members of the community will be able to understand the negative impacts of denying a girl child their rights as they are taught.

She added that many cases go unreported due to lack of transport and communication network in the rural areas.

Ends

Photos attached.