Some 358 learners from Kuria in Migori County have received Sh12 million in school fees subsidy programme from World Vision’s Kenya.
The programme dubbed “World Vision Kenya Big Dream Programme” school fee subsidy programme aims to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) through education in the Kuria region.
South Nyanza Cluster Manager for World Vision Mr. Shadrack Yator while speaking at Mabera Girls High School in Kuria West Sub County said that 214 of the 358 girls the programme was supporting escaped FGM.
Yator revealed that the organisation will enhance sensitisation and create a friendly environment for girls to empower them educationally to eradicate FGM, teenage pregnancies and early marriages.
“We want to cushion our girls from the societal evils of FGM and early marriages by giving them hope and refuge in education, so as to have a generation that will act as role models to the future of young girls.
The official said the programme will complement what the national government and county governments give as a bursary to accommodate more beneficiaries.
Migori Deputy Governor Joseph Mahiri stressed the importance of education in the fight against FGM, early marriage and teenage pregnancies.
Mahiri explained that having a girl-educated generation will end vices like early marriages, teenage pregnancies and FGM that have been rampant in the Kuria region in the recent past.
His sentiments were echoed by Isebania Assistant County Commissioner Lillian Wabala and Kuria West Children’s Officer James Omondi who believe that education is the best means of ending FGM.
“Let us educate our Kuria girls if they will ever be a voice for the region”, stated Omondi.
By Geoffrey Makokha
