The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media
platforms spanning newspaper print
operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a
leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and
international interest.
Lillian Anyango is only 18 years old and is already a mother. She became pregnant when she was 16 and had to put her dream of becoming a teacher on hold.
Before she delivered her child, Lillian had tried to terminate the pregnancy by herself using harmful concoctions like detergents. She couldn’t sit and just watch her dream go away.
She wanted to continue with school and didn’t want to be seen as a disappointment by her parents. She almost lost her life in the process but luckily she survived after she was rushed to the hospital by her parents.
Lillian was later forced to marry the father of her child who was 20 years old then. She was only 17 years. Her parents gave her away because they couldn’t feed another mouth in their home.
They had been struggling to feed 8 children and adding another member to the family would be disastrous.
At 18, Lillian is now on a long term method of family planning. She was introduced to contraceptives when she visited a health facility in Nyalenda slum, Kisumu County.
She decided to have a contraceptive implant which would protect her from unplanned pregnancy for the next 10 years which she got at the facility.
Thanks to the support of the Dutch government thousands of girls here in Kenya can have access to life saving contraceptives and information on sexual and reproductive health.
Lillian is now in form two and is taking charge of her future and she now believes her dreams will come true.
