Fighting for Girls’ rights in Nyatike

Fatuma Mohammed, 36, was inspired to help the girl-child in Nyatike, Migori, after hearing a tale of how her mother almost got married off as a teenager. She spoke to NICHOLAS ANYUOR

Fatuma Mohammed’s passion to care for girls in the society comes from a bitter and unique tale.

The story is that when her mother, Jemillah Anyango Mohammed, was a primary school pupil aged 13, strong young men forced themselves into her classroom and fished her out for marriage.

Fatuma with her mother Jemillah who inspired her to support the girls. [PHOTO: TITUS MUNALA/STANDARD]

The reason was that she was the only available commodity to be sold off to a chang’aa brewer, to clear the debt her father had incurred after drinking to his fill.

The old man had taken local brew and sold off Jemillah, Fatuma’s mother, to clear the bill. Though Jemillah later ran away, the realisation of the situation on the ground for the girl-child was an eye-opener one for Fatuma.

Education for girls

It made her pick up her courage to sacrifice and stand for the rights of girls in Migori County.

Fatuma was brought up in a strong Islamic background and the ardent reader of the Quran is inspired by a verse that says that the most advantaged person in heaven is one who is orphaned on earth.

"I have to bring change to orphaned children, especially girls," Fatuma says.

The passion made her break the religious barrier, and even though still a Muslim, Fatuma has teamed up with the organisation Paullo for Africa comprising of 200 Catholics from Italy, to champion for the rights of girls and to promote their education in Nyatike, Migori.

With the help of the organisation, she is sponsoring the fees of more than 130 girls at both primary and secondary school level, while some girls have joined youth polytechnics in the county.

Through her coordination with friends, Fatuma has helped build nursery, primary and secondary schools in Nyatike district, with some converted to girls’ schools to promote their education.

"We want girls to have enough schools in this region. We have only two schools for girls and we must increase the number," she says.

This year alone, she has decided, by herself, to sponsor 12 girls who passed well but lacked fees to join Form One.

"You will still find girls being forced into marriage. This is what we want to ensure ends. We are sensitising the community to make them aware that even girls deserve to go to school," Fatuma says.

Sacrifice

Fatuma borrowed business skills from her late father, a businessman, and is importing foodstuff from Europe, the proceeds of which she uses to educate poor orphaned children.

"Sometimes one has to sacrifice to succeed in a course," she says.

Fatuma is now the Paullo for Kenya country director.

The organisation is planning to build a multi-million factory along River Kuja in Nyatike to produce detergents, cosmetics and wine. Fatuma realises that poverty makes girls drop out of school and is hoping through such initiatives as the factory, poverty will be reduced and girls will have more opportunities to go to school.

"This will offer employment to over 200 youths. It will improve economic status of many people and many girls will be taken care of," Fatuma says.

She is yet to be married, but Fatuma says her marital status sends a message to girls that women can achieve even when they have no husbands.

In her Somali community, she says, no single woman would be allowed to lead and do what she is doing before getting married.

"Many would want a woman at my age to get married before getting involved in the kind of activities I am involved in. But we must show girls that all is possible and men can come later," she argues.

Many people have recommended her work in the area, from provincial administrators to educationists and the Prime Minister’s wife Ida Odinga, who says Fatuma’s passionate love for the girl-child has brought change to girls in the area.

Drilling wells

Since Nyatike is a dry region, water is sometimes a problem and girls are forced by their parents to skip school and trek long distances to fetch water for domestic use.

"This has reduced the performance of girls in schools since they do not concentrate," says Fatuma.

They have thus come up with a programme to drill water in schools for use by pupils and community members. So far, five such points have been drilled in badly hit areas in Nyatike, mostly in Karungu area.

Sometimes, she visits schools and provides sanitary towels to girls.

Fatuma urges women to ensure they go for political posts so they can be role models for girls.