By Amoto Dennis Ndiewo
The World Vision is gifting vulnerable and poor schoolgirls in Lamu with free sanitary pads to stop them from engaging in premature sex.
The World Vision’s Lamu’s Development and Child Protection officer Scholar Mghoi says the vulnerable girls will be given panties, soap and body lotion to keep them in school.
She expressed regret that more than 500 primary and secondary schoolgirls fell pregnant during the seven month Covid -19 break from March until when school reopened recently.
The programme also targets school girls who became mothers when they were staying at home since the schools were closed in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She regretted that many schoolgirls fell pregnant while some were married off and others underwent the cruel Female Geital Mutilation all over the country.
The World Vision campaign in Lamu kicked off in Hindi Sub County, which has recorded Lamu’s highest number of sexual abuse and defilement cases.
They have targeted at least 700 girls of which about 300 have already been gifted with personal hygiene packets and accused bodaboda riders and casual labourers at the Lamu port LAPSSSET project for allegedly targeting and luring schoolgirls into sexual relationship.
‘’Most of these girls are poor and needy that is why they are easy prey and candidates for pregnancy and early marriage ,’’ she said.
She said World Vision is will counsel them so that they can stay away from abusive relationship and thrive in school.
