Lobby to mentor pupils and parents during holiday

Over 400 Standard Seven pupils and their parents across Homa Bay County are set to benefit from a mentorship initiative during this school holiday.

Selected from various schools, they will spend four days in a camp where they will go through mentorship to help enhance 100 per cent transition to secondary schools.

The programme fully funded by Justice and Mercy (JAM), a non-governmental organisation, starts on November 3. 

They will go in three groups - girls, boys and parents - with ech group spending four days in the camp at JAM centre in Kasipul Sub-county.

JAM Director Ken Okoth, Chairperson Margaret Ojwando and the chairperson for mentorship programmes, Grace Otieno, said their objective is to reduce school dropout among girls.

The girls will start the programme, followed by boys and eventually their parents.

Role models

The programme targets two girls and two boys from every primary school in Kasipul and Kabondo Kasipul and parts of Karachuonyo and Rangwe constituencies.

Addressing journalists in Homa Bay town yesterday, Okoth said they are targeting parents to enhance implementation of what the children will have been taught.

“Incorporating parents in the programme will enable them help the children implement the knowledge we have given them,” he said.

The programme is aimed at cushioning the pupils from indulging in vices that may deter them from acquiring education.

Ojwando said they decided to mentor the boys because they are part of the people who have sexual relationships with the girls. He said the pupils will be role models for others who will not attend.

“The two learners picked from each school will also pass the mentoriship message to their colleagues who will not attend the functions,” Ojwando said.

She said mentors will offer lessons to adolescents on sexual reproductive health and sexuality to reduce increasing cases of teenage pregnancy.

“Boys will also be incorporated in the mentorship programme to ensure they are not left out because there is a concern that girls get more empowerment than boys,” she said.

Otieno said the key objective of the programme is to reduce school dropout and teenage pregnancies.

“We are also going to train the pupils on how to cope with their body changes during adolescence,” Otieno said.