By Tony Wafula
The nation is facing a bleak future as youths engage in drug and substance abuse leading to high numbers of teenage pregnancy, suicidal activities and school dropouts.
In Bungoma County, the issue of teenage pregnancy has been the talk of town as lobby groups, human rights activists, church leaders and youth organizations have teamed up to ensure that the menace is addressed.
Addressing journalists after holding a one day workshop, Clyde Libamila, programs manager of Y-Act initiative in Bungoma County said that have formed 12 youth lead groups to agitate against teenage pregnancies, sexual abuse and gender based violence.
“ Our aim as an organization is to see that the cases of gender based violence and teenage pregnancies drop drastically,” he said.
Libamila asked all stakeholders to work hand in hand with the Y-Act initiative to ensure that teenage pregnancy and drug abuse is dealt with.
As part of their advocacy strategy, the initiative receives funding from Amref to facilitate their day to day activities on sensitizing youths and teenagers on the consequences of early pregnancy and drug abuse.
“The funding from Amref helps us to move across the county to sensitize youths and organize seminars with youths especially during this short holiday to educate them on their sexual health and importance of abstinence,” he said.
Rahma Issa, a member of the Y-Act initiative and a health advocate challenged the government to make sure that perpetrators are arrested and face full force of law.
“If we continue playing with perpetrators who impregnate our school going girls, then the country faces a shortage of professionals in future as many of our girls’ lives have been ruined,” she said, adding that early pregnancies decline girls’ development.
She added that as an organization they are making sure that those impregnated before completing their studies are brought back to school and given ample time to go through their studies.
Teachers have also been urged to accept those girls back to school and provide them with serious guidance and counseling.
