Widows in Trans Mara, Narok County, have decried the challenges they face in educating their children, saying financial constraints have forced many learners to drop out of school.
The widows said only a few of their children have managed to complete their education, blaming the situation on a lack of adequate support from leaders and government programmes.
Led by Juliana Kirwa, the widows said they have repeatedly appealed for assistance, but their concerns have largely gone unaddressed.
Speaking in the area, Kirwa said most of them depend on menial jobs, which are scarce and poorly remunerated, to support their families.
“We normally do menial jobs, but these jobs are few. It is difficult to make ends meet and at the same time meet the education needs of our children,” Kirwa said.
Financial hardship threatens children's education
She said the widows had hoped their children would excel in school and eventually secure better opportunities that would transform their families and improve their future.
“Our children, just like other children, have a right to education. We had hoped that through education they would change the lives of our families, but we have been neglected for many years,” she said.
The concerns were echoed by Margarett Busienei, who criticised what she described as unfair allocation of bursaries in the area.
Busienei said children from vulnerable families, particularly those raised by widows, should be given priority when bursaries are distributed.
“Our children need to be given priority in the bursary exercise because we cannot afford their school fees. Unfortunately, this has not been the case,” Busienei said.
Kirwa said the widows sometimes depend on well-wishers to keep their children in school, adding that they have not received adequate support from either level of government.
“Sometimes we rely on well-wishers because we have nowhere else to turn. Both levels of government have not been keen on supporting us,” she said.
The widows are also calling for their inclusion in government stipend programmes, saying the financial support would help them meet the needs of their families.
They said they had followed the required procedures and submitted their applications but were still missing out on the stipend disbursements.
The widows are now urging relevant authorities to review their situation and ensure vulnerable families headed by widows are considered in education bursaries and social protection programmes.
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Widows in Trans Mara, Narok County, appeal for fair allocation of education bursaries and inclusion in government financial assistance programmes, saying poverty has forced some of their children to drop out of school.
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