The girl-child crisis

When a young girl is flowered, most parents are terrified and at the same time overwhelmed with joy.

"Who will she grow up to be like, the ridiculous Kardashians or us?"

 "How stubborn will she be?"

"What about boyfriends, her education, her dignity?"

 "What about our culture?”, most of the parents will constantly ask themselves.

These girls are nurtured with love and care among other attributes at the same time handled with excessive attention that when left on their own, they bend if not break!

These girls, regardless of their different backgrounds, I could say they are brought up alike.

From the simple tasks of washing dishes, to sweeping the compound, to ploughing the farm, to carrying groceries for their parents, these girls are taught in the same way.

Respect and praise is accorded to those who perform well and those who uphold good behaviour and dignity while criticism is given to the opposite.

Could we assume that the crisis of a young girl begins when she is born?

Most of the lessons these girls are taught only a few are applied when the girl ‘becomes of age’, adolescence kicks in and growth is visible.

Their interpretation and realisation of beauty becomes a nagging attraction to the opposite sex as well as constant argument between them and their parents.

For those ‘unfortunate’ girls whose societal beliefs have not been swept under the rag are forced to undergo female genital mutilation and become fourth or fifth wives to old men whose only role is to sit under a tree and look at the sun.

Their education is hindered, their dreams crushed, their dignity swallowed and their chance to redeem themselves totally lost.

Others, whose beauty is too good to be true are used and abused because of their naivety. For the lucky birds whom education is at their disposal are forced to constantly try to prove themselves right and smart as the societal belief is girls belong in the kitchen.

The trend continues amicably especially for one is enrolled in a university or college.

Eyes are wide open and most persons look at her if not up to her. If any mistake is to occur and the lassie turns out pregnant, the society shuts their eyes and hastily opens their mouth wide to laugh uncontrollably and mumble all their negativity about this girl.

The cycle will always continue if another flower is soared, do you agree?

However, the crisis of a young girl is one but a challenge. A challenge that a few have overcome and we have read them, engaged with them and learned from them.

These few are those we call role models, the likes of Julie Gichuru, Caroline Mutoko, Lupita Nyong’o, Adelle Onyango among others.

They also know the crisis of a young girl; they have been through the crisis of a young girl. We could be like them if we fight hard, let’s keep trying!