A total of 150 girls from Laikipia North Sub County have graduated from an alternative rite of passage training aimed at shunning retrogressive culture among the pastoralists community.
The three-day training facilitated by Action for Children in Conflict(AFCIC) targeted girls who had attained nine years in line with curbing Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) which is always undertaken during school holidays.
AFCIC is a Kenyan Non-Governmental organization geared towards promoting the rights of children to foster development.
AFCIC Director John Muhiruri speaking to KNA in Ilpolei, Laikipia North Sub county over the weekend, pointed out that the training further equipped the teenage girls with knowledge on life skills and offered them an opportunity to continue with their studies after the schools reopen, a situation which could have been halted through early marriages, FGM and unplanned pregnancies during festive season.
“Girls have been trained on the alternative rite of passage as a way of grooming them to adulthood without undergoing the Female Genital Mutilation and to offer them a chance of continuing with their education,” said Muhiruri.
He observed that cultural practices among the indigenous communities of Laikipia North was deep rooted and education was the only solution to ensure they uplifted the lives of girls in the area.
“The community needs to be sensitized that it’s not a must for everyone to undergo the cut. The three days training has equipped the girls with their rights,” revealed the Director.
Laikipia North Deputy County Commissioner David Boen pointed out that partnering with government and other Non-Governmental institutions would go a long way in eradicating harmful cultural practices in the area.
“We will expand the initiative to reach all corners in the vast Laikipia North by sensitizing the community on the dangers of retrogressive cultural practices. We want to appeal to the parents to protect the girls especially during this festive season,” said the DCC.
Laikipia North children officer Ms Kareen Nyaichowa encouraged the reporting of children violation cases and at the same time challenged residents to be ambassadors of creating awareness on sexual gender based violence incidents which have been rampant in the wake of the 16 days of activism recently.
Community elders, who are the culture gatekeepers in the pastoral areas, lauded the initiative vowing that they would not subject young girls to FGM and early marriages and at the same time they would step in to promote education and end the harmful cultural practices.
The trainees expressed their commitment in continuing with their studies after schools reopen in January and would not engage in harmful cultural practices which would derail their education. They were awarded certificates of completion and hygiene kits.
According to a Britain-based FGM and research initiative, 45.6 percent of girls are cut while between the ages of 5 and 9 years.
It further shows that as at 2021, at least 14.8 percent of women in Kenya had undergone FGM.
Meanwhile, 2022 Health and Demographic Survey show that FGM had slightly declined from 21 percent to 15 percent.
By Muturi Mwangi
