How cheap labour exposes children to sexual abuse in Trans Nzoia

TRANSNZOIA, KENYA: Poverty and neglect is pushing hundreds of children to engage in cheap labour in Kwanza Sub-County exposing them to sex abuse.

Kwanza is tops in the poverty index in North Rift despite being endowed with agricultural resources.

A report by a local Non-Governmental Organization, Kitale Resource Center (KRC) shows that Kwanza Constituency is leading in child labour and has high cases of sex abuses among school girls and women.

Releasing the report in Kitale, KRC Coordinator Mary Nyachieyo attributed high poverty level and lack of parental responsibility to the rising cases of child abuses in the region.

The reports note that many children between the age 10 and 16 miss classes and are hired to work on private farms in the area.

Some of these children particularly girls are sexually abused and end up getting unwanted pregnancies becoming mothers at teenage

"Our investigations indicate that several girls are sexually abused and have dropped out of school due to pregnancies," said Nyachieyo.

Endebess Constituency share similar predicament and last year the area registered over 50 pregnancies among school girls.

The pregnancies were blamed on motorcycle boda boda riders who lure school girls especially from poor family to sex.

"The trend is worrying and something must be done. So many girls are out of school because of early pregnancies," the official said.