November Highlights
November 30, 2020
Every parent/ guardian/ caregiver / teacher wants a child that has in them the desire to excel in life, to be the next leader in society, a person of repute. A child who is morally upright, respectable and shows concern for others is every parent’s delight. Being focused is undoubtedly going to make the child feel more positive and controlled in their life. Knowing what’s important in their life will be the seed that will determine where the girls end up. The skill is in being committed to achieving their goals.
In the month of November, we concentrated a lot of effort on visiting the girls in Form 4 at the various schools where we offer mentorship and life skills. The idea was to help the girls cope with challenges at school after being home for so long, abruptly being asked to resume studies, and having to adopt to a new lifestyle of wearing masks, sanitizing and keeping social distance in order to avoid contracting and spreading the Covid 19 virus. As expected, there were a lot of challenges. The teachers were having a hard time convincing the students to keep their masks on. The majority refused to wear them, and the teachers had to use harsh measures to enforce the rules. Teenage pregnancies rose during the long holiday; many girls fell pregnant and gave birth, many resumed school while still pregnant. Other girls were giving up, refusing to go back to school and being rebellious towards their parents and guardians. Teenage pregnancy can be a crisis for teenagers and their parents. Common reactions might include anger, guilt and denial. The teen might also experience anxiety, fear, shock and depression. Asking what the teen is feeling and talking about what’s ahead helps diffuse the situation and brings comfort. The teen needs parental love, guidance and support at this point more than ever.
We visited some of the teens that had given birth, donated items that they needed for the babies, and encouraged them not to give up hope. Despite having fallen pregnant, there is still the hope of their going back to school and finishing their education.
As a voice of hope, we were there to attend every situation that called for our attention. We have visited and formed clubs in the slums since Covid 19 hit, and we will continue with the programs until the end of November. We emphasized the need for the girls to practice self-love, without which, they could easily throw their lives away by making choices which do not benefit them. We taught the girls the need to love themselves as the dangers out there are great, and we reiterated the precautions needed in order for them to stay safe.
Life in the slums may be hard, but that does not mean the girls do not have an opportunity to thrive while there. With the right attitude, determination and effort, they can do well.
Visiting a school based in the Kibera slums
We also visited a group of girls in a children’s home. They are still out of school as they wait for the Ministry of Education to gradually allow the rest of the students to go back to school. We took fresh farm produce, supermarket supplies and other goodies with us to the home. We cooked with the children, shared a meal and had lengthy talks with them on self-care. The girls were happy to have a visit from outsiders, with the Covid 19 pandemic they have been indoors and quite bored.
Girls in a children’s home, preparing to cook a meal
Outdoors after a talk on self-care, self-love