Day of the girl child celebrations

By REBECCA GICHANA

Globally, more than 140 million children of school-going age are not enrolled in school: nearly 60% being girls.
It has been found that dropping out of school by a girl guarantees a 90% chance of living in poverty as an adult.
Statistics are even grimmer. At least one in five girls and women in Kenya has been beaten or sexually abused in their lifetime. Among children, the national survey of 2012 indicates that 32 per cent of girls have experienced sexual violence.
It is with this facts that the World celebrated the day of the girl child last week even as more heart-wrenching statistics were reported like the national prevalence of FGM that stands at 27.1 per cent and early marriages and maternal deaths of girls shooting to an all-time high.
To mark this day, children from Olympic Primary had the opportunity to listen to a talk from great women who have excelled in life.
Controller of Budget and Auditor General, Agnes Odhiambo, encouraged the girls to work hard in life saying that there are numerous more statistics, which clearly indicate the benefits of investing in girls far exceed the cost of doing so.
“The Government has moved to institute legal measures to support the girl child. The Sexual Offences Act, the Counter Trafficking in Persons Act, the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act among other laws can only do enough to protect the girl child. We must act now, and lay emphasis on the education of the girl child. Emphasis should be made on the different methodologies of teaching, role modelling, mentorship and general support to girls in school. As stakeholders we need to pull our resources together to fund innovative programmes geared towards the education of the girl child,” said Odhiambo.
The school also received Top Mark revision books, wall maps, Prime colours book editions, English composition, Dira ya Waandishi, Insha and some learning materials from Kenya Literature Bureau.

 Globally, more than 140 million children of school-going age are not enrolled in school: nearly 60% being girls.

 It has been found that dropping out of school by a girl guarantees a 90% chance of living in poverty as an adult.

Statistics are even grimmer. At least one in five girls and women in Kenya has been beaten or sexually abused in their lifetime. Among children, the national survey of 2012 indicates that 32 per cent of girls have experienced sexual violence.

It is with this facts that the World celebrated the day of the girl child last week even as more heart-wrenching statistics were reported like the national prevalence of FGM that stands at 27.1 per cent and early marriages and maternal deaths of girls shooting to an all-time high.

To mark this day, children from Olympic Primary had the opportunity to listen to a talk from great women who have excelled in life.

Controller of Budget and Auditor General, Agnes Odhiambo, encouraged the girls to work hard in life saying that there are numerous more statistics, which clearly indicate the benefits of investing in girls far exceed the cost of doing so.

 “The Government has moved to institute legal measures to support the girl child. The Sexual Offences Act, the Counter Trafficking in Persons Act, the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act among other laws can only do enough to protect the girl child. We must act now, and lay emphasis on the education of the girl child. Emphasis should be made on the different methodologies of teaching, role modelling, mentorship and general support to girls in school. As stakeholders we need to pull our resources together to fund innovative programmes geared towards the education of the girl child,” said Odhiambo.

The school also received Top Mark revision books, wall maps, Prime colours book editions, English composition, Dira ya Waandishi, Insha and some learning materials from Kenya Literature Bureau.