The jovial and ever-smiling 15-year-old “Khadija,” not her real name, ushered us into their homestead. She was standing alone as her siblings were playing with their friends behind their mud-thatched house. Neighbors kept on peeping from every corner perhaps eager to discover what was happening.
“Don’t mind them let’s proceed,” she said with a gentle voice. Khadija was brought up in Bombo, Kisauni Sub-County. Her father worked as a casual worker, and her mother was a vegetable hawker in the nearby estates. However, their stability took a hit when her father lost his job, the primary breadwinner for the family. This setback triggered an unfortunate cycle of domestic violence and the relentless intrusion of poverty.
“I scored highly in my Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and I was among the top students in my school,” said Khadija. Which year? “In 2020.” She proudly responded.
Life became more manageable, a far cry from the struggles they had faced before “My dad had become a better person, and we loved him. My mother was at peace too,” said Khadija. The children found solace and love from their parents again.
Khadija had been accepted into a provincial school in Makueni County. However, her parents struggled to gather the necessary tuition fees. Khadija’s father made a courageous decision to secure a loan from a local financier, ultimately securing Ksh100, 000. The jovial Khadija joined Ngumo Girls High School in 2021.
Peer pressure:
Khadija reflected, her voice gentle as she spoke, “All my friends had expensive shoes and plenty of shopping. I used to envy them. On visiting days, their parents would bring them delicious roasted chicken, pilau, and more shopping. My own parents couldn’t afford such luxuries. To add to it, some of my friends constantly bragged about having boyfriends waiting for them at home.”
Under the pressure of her peers’ expectations, Khadija felt compelled to find herself a boyfriend during the holiday season. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long before she found herself pregnant, forcing her to discontinue her education. Her father was furious, especially since he had taken out a loan to pay for her tuition. He made the tough decision never to send her back to school again.
Psychological support:
The Linda Mtoto Project delivers a structured program of psychosocial support to all the children enrolled in the project. Each child participating in the project undergoes a 6-week period of 2-hour group sessions. These sessions cover a range of important topics, including awareness of emerging trends like online CSEC (Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse), child protection, self-awareness, self-esteem, the consequences of CSEC, effective communication, positive parenting, sex and sexuality education, and psycho-education to equip children with better-coping mechanisms for various life situations.
Khadija was identified by trained community health volunteers associated with the Linda Mtoto project in April 2021. After thorough verification, she was connected with counselors who provided her with six counseling sessions.
Reflecting on her experience, Khadija shared, “Following the counseling sessions, I took the initiative to seek forgiveness from my parents, although my dad initially resisted. I also made the tough decision to end my relationship with my boyfriend. During the counseling sessions, I gained insights into the consequences of CSEC, dealing with peer pressure, and I felt empowered about my rights.“
Family-centered therapy intervention:
In June 2021, Khadija’s dad was linked to the Linda Mtoto counselors for psychosocial support. The family-centered therapy intervention focuses on improving family communication, raising awareness about child protection, and emphasizing individual psychological assistance for adults who are distressed in adversity-stricken communities.
‘By the time I was participating in this intervention, I was completely crushed by my daughter’s behavior. I had thought of chasing and disowning her. She had really embarrassed my family in the whole community. I thought my problems were the most complicated on earth. However, during the therapy sessions, I met other caregivers/parents who shared their experiences, and I realized that I wasn’t the only one with such problems. Some of their challenges were more complicated than mine, “says Khadija’s father.
Khadija’s father was engaged in different therapeutic problem-management sessions to reduce his anxiety disorders. Weekly phone calls and supervision were also conducted to provide him with the necessary support.
“When I started listening to other people’s experiences, I started consoling myself. The Linda Mtoto project staff gave me all the necessary support for my healing journey. I decided to give my daughter a second chance. I took her back to school and we decided to take care of the child. The man who was responsible for her pregnancy took off immediately when he heard Khadija was expectant. I embraced her despite what had happened. I built trust and now she is always open with me. I felt empowered and I started to detach myself from my worries. I apologized to my Khadija and we are a happy family again,” he says.
Education support:
The Linda Mtoto project provides tailored educational and vocational assistance to children based on their individual needs. This assistance is extended following a comprehensive assessment of each child, conducted by both project staff and community health volunteers. Khadija was one of the children who received educational support amounting to 20,900 Kenyan Shillings.
Expressing her gratitude, Khadija declared, “I am deeply grateful for this support, and I am committed to making my parents proud.”
Khadija remained true to her promise, emerging as one of the top students in her class with an impressive B grade. Her father was overjoyed with pride. Presently, Khadija serves as a role model within the Majaoni children’s support groups.
Entrepreneurship (management of finances, savings, and increasing household income) Intervention:
In August 2021, the Linda Mtoto project organized and provided assistance for an entrepreneurship and financial literacy training program. Khadija’s father was among the beneficiaries. The two-day was conducted by experts from the Women’s Enterprise Fund and representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture. The curriculum covered various topics, including group formation, value addition, agribusiness, soft skills, bookkeeping, savings, and connections to government funding sources.
“We learned how to generate capital, how to start small businesses as well as keeping sale records. A week after the training, I expanded my charcoal business. We also formed a group with other participants and registered it through the Ministry of Social Services. Currently, we are in the process of applying for a government loan worth Kenya Shillings 100000,” says Khadija’s father.
Khadija concludes our interview by affirming “I’m content knowing my child is being well cared for by their parents, and I’m also performing well in school.”
