In a world where digital technology dominates nearly every aspect of daily life, a silent crisis is unfolding one that isn’t about gadgets or internet access, but about character.
Across Kenya, educators and parents are increasingly worried that children are growing up digitally connected yet emotionally and socially disconnected.
From endless scrolling on TikTok to the influence of online celebrities, many children are adopting habits and values that often clash with the virtues communities once held dear. The result is a generation skilled at navigating screens but struggling with real life problem solving, communication, and empathy.
In a recent incident in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado North, that shocked many, the dangers of poor values and misuse of digital gadgets among children were laid bare. A four year old boy drowned after allegedly being tied by the hands and legs and thrown into a river by two boys aged 10 and 12, who accused him of using abusive language toward them.
A 2022 Assessment of Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) by the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI) painted a worrying picture. The report found that only 5 percent of adolescents were proficient in problem solving, while more than half (55%) could recognize a problem from one perspective but struggled to identify multiple solutions.
Researchers linked this gap to a lack of deliberate nurturing of life skills and value-based learning both at home and in schools.
To bridge this gap, RELI launched a 10-week Action for Life Skills and Values (ALiVE) Parental Engagement Campaign focused on nurturing problem solving skills among children and youth. The program, held in Kajiado and Isiolo counties, aimed to empower parents to shape future generations through life skills and values.
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ALiVE, a collaborative initiative backed by the Zizi Afrique Foundation, is committed to ensuring that life skills and values are not just taught but lived both in classrooms and homes.
During a recent field monitoring visit by Zizi Afrique in Kajiado County, parents voiced deep concern over the consequences of minimal engagement with their children. They shared how limited communication and a lack of value based guidance at home have contributed to troubling social issues.
Pastor Isaac Koyei, a member of the Board of Management at Ewuaso Girls Secondary School, revealed a sharp rise in teenage pregnancies and school dropouts.
“The rate at which our girls are getting pregnant is alarming. Many are dropping out of school — even five candidates sitting for their exams this year are pregnant. Something needs to be done,” he said.
For Pastor Koyei, the issue stems from weak parental involvement.
“Most parents only pay school fees but rarely engage their children on moral values or life challenges,” he added.
During the Parental Engagement Campaign, Zizi Afrique identified community champions to promote life skills and values.
Among those taking action is Robert Kamanga from Kajiado, one of the trained ALiVE Champions. He believes that parents play a central role in shaping their children’s personal and social success.
“When parents engage closely with their children, they create a safe space for them to share their struggles and find solutions together,” Kamanga said.
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He has since begun working with local parents to help them understand how life skills from communication to critical thinking can prepare their children for both personal growth and career success.
Similarly, Ali Letura from Dupoto e Maa Organization highlighted the need for cultural reconnection, particularly among Maasai fathers.
“Many men have become absentee parents. They rarely talk to their children, leaving a gap in cultural guidance and moral development,” Letura noted.
Christine Likam, a community champion from Keekonyokie Central, Kajiado, said she has been using barazas, churches, and marketplaces to sensitize parents on the importance of instilling life skills and values in their children. She noted that parents are increasingly realizing how crucial their role is in shaping their children’s behavior and future.
Simon Lepasho, the National Parents Association representative in Kajiado County, emphasized that parents are the first and most important teachers in a child’s life.
“Many parents don’t realize that they are the first educators. They need support to effectively pass on life skills and values to their children,” he said.
As communities across Kenya grapple with the fast-changing digital world, organizations like Zizi Afrique and RELI are working to reshape education systems. Their goal is to ensure that schools and families jointly instill essential values not as a separate subject, but as part of everyday learning and living.
In the end, building character may prove just as crucial as building the curriculum. After all, in a future shaped by technology, the true test of progress may not be how well children code or compute but how well they connect, communicate, and care.
By Obegi Malack
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