Ndhiwa MP starts anti-teen pregnancy programme

Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino addresses school girls during the launch of a girl child mentorship programme at Alara Secondary School on June 22, 2020. The programme aims to tame rising cases of teenage pregnancies in the constituency. [James Omoro, Standard]

A report compiled by the department of children in Homa Bay County indicates Ndhiwa is experiencing a high number of cases involving child rights violation.

According to the report, between July and May this year Ndhiwa recorded 518 cases which included teenage pregnancies.

Consequently, area MP Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino has started a mentorship programme for fighting the rising cases of teenage pregnancies.

The programme will focus on sensitising girls from all the seven wards in his constituency on the dangers of early pregnancies.  

It majorly targets girls who are in primary and secondary schools as they will learn how to overcome the challenges which predispose them to pregnancies.

This will involve selected girls registering their peers from their villages.

The registered girls, with the permission of their parents and caretakers, are then invited for sensitisation workshops and counselling at Kobodo trading centre.

During the workshops, the girls will be taught on matters of sexuality and perils of premature sex.

Owino launched the programme today at Alara Secondary School in Kwabwai ward.

“This programme is about bringing our girls for workshops in shifts. I have engaged a good team of professionals to sensitise them on how to avoid premature sex which leads to teenage pregnancies,” Owino said.

The first workshop will begin in July.

The MP expressed concerns over the high rate at which girls get pregnant in his constituency since they began staying home at home in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I have observed that cases of teenage pregnancies are escalating in my constituency especially since schools were closed,” Owino said.

He said more interventions need to be put in place to save young girls from premature motherhood.

“I have started this programme after realising that many students fall prey to sex pests due lack of information,” Owino added.

The MP challenged parents to talk to their children on matters of sexuality at home. He said failure by parents to discuss such matters had landed many girls into problems.

He also challenged parent to avoid introducing their daughters to premature family planning.

Owino argued that family planning had made many pupils engage in premature sex carelessly.

“Many girls now risk contracting various sexually transmitted infections,” said Owino.

Co-ordinator of the programme Jecinter Odhiambo expressed optimism that the programme will transform girls’ lives.

“I believe this is the only way to cushion our young girls from pregnancies,” Ms Odhiambo said.