Parents have to empower girls to stand up against social ills like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), teenage pregnancies and Gender Based Violence (GBV).
This was said by the President of Minton Foundation in the USA Risper Bosibori Abraham, who admonished parents to abandon the outdated traditions and instead give girls an education like their male counterparts.
“Kisii County is one of the regions leading in the female cut and GBV because our people have not discarded the old oppressive traditions regarding females,” she said.
She was addressing guests at Mosocho Catholic Church during homecoming and thanksgiving for Dr Magdaline Gesare, who was among the 21 PhD graduates at Kisii University a few days ago.
The President said the foundation has spent more than Ksh200 million to train over 100 girls from Kisii in alternative rites of passage and in school fees scholarships.
“We support many education activities through our workers on the ground as we work and send money from abroad to give back to society,” she said.
Dr Gesare, a high school teacher of English, narrated her long journey of education pursuits and thanked all those who stood with her to complete the course.
“I thank all of you for supporting me in all ways and now assure my children I will never be an absentee mother who took much time on books instead of spending time with them,” she said.
Her mother Salome Nyaruki attributed her (Gesare’s) success and of all her other children to God and consistent prayer.
“I prayed to God to cushion them against alcohol at the expense of their studies and my prayers were heard and now all my four children have PhD degrees,” she proudly revealed.
By Enock Okong’o
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