Mazola primary school girls presenting a poem on girl child education.

This was another 16 Days Campaign against Gender Based Violence activity in the
CWID’s programme, the venue wouldn’t be any better, Kinango has been rated among
the poorest constituencies in Kenya and the place where women’s rights are still
undercarpeted.

The event started with a football match with a 16 days Activism cup to be won between
Sol- Brothers and Mabamani, the players were fully clad in red and yellow T-shirts
provided by CWID and which were labeled with this year’s theme. Mabamani thrashed
Sol- Brothers 2-0.

The master of ceremony who also heads the Gender Office in Kinango Mr. Elias
Mwachiro briefed the audience about the importance of the campaign and its relevance to
the community. The joyous day was beautified with poems from pupils of Mazola
Primary School about the importance of girl child education and the risks of early
marriage.

Kinango Youths for Counselling, Education for Development (YCED) gave a striking
play about early marriage and early motherhood that drove the message home very clear,
Marigedi Women group also presented their dances all about eliminating discrimination
against women and looking into women’s rights.

Some of the crucial matters that arose from the function were:

Culture and HIV/AIDS.
Kinango women and girls are at a high risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS because they lack
awareness on the means of prevention and how to live positively, they also stand a better
chance of acquiring the disease because of the situations their traditions are placing them
in, they are not allowed to make any maternal decisions i.e on birth control measures.
Polygamy and forced early marriages are also a major contribution to the spreading of the
deadly disease.

Peer Pressure
Young women and youths were said to be indulging in irresponsible sex due to peer
pressure and wanting to move with fashion trends, it emerged that many girls would drop
out of school and sell their bodies only to find money to acquire the fashionable outfits.
Girls are also pressured by their peers to get into premarital sex because they think it’s an
incoming trend and a normal life style.

Girl child education.
Since most girls in Kinango are subjected to early marriage by their parents especially
fathers, chances of them completing their studies are so slim. Their tradition too does not
create room for the girl child to have enough time to prepare and concentrate on their
studies. They believe the girl child duties are in the kitchen never minding that she is
schooling or not, some even go ahead and take away their girls from school to marry
them off. Generally, in Kinango girl child education has not been given a major
preference; they still value the boy child more than the girl child.

Youths for Counselling, Education and Development presenting a play on forced
early marriage

Gender Based Violence
Most of the speakers emphasized on the theme and the risks of gender violence in the
society, they discouraged the residents from domestic violence and other gender violence
oppress the women.

Early mother hood.
Kinango District is one of the places where women in stable marriages are becoming
extinct, this is because girls drop out of school in the name of poverty, they then sell their
bodies and end up getting unwanted pregnancies at their tender ages, worse enough they
don’t use protection and by the age of 20 they have about three children, the Kinango
District Hospital also admits up to five to six pregnant girls every month. This has also
affected them because at their age their reproductive organs are not developed

G.O.K not assisting Youths
It emerged that the Kinango youths demands are ignored by the administration, no
assistance whatsoever has been put in place to see to it that Youths are engaged and are
positively participating to improve their lifestyle which in most cases has resulted to
idleness and immorality.

Prizes and donation
Mabamani football team was awarded a cup by Mr. Herman while CWID also presented
foodstuffs and bar soaps to the Dorcas Children’s home.
The event was closed by a vote of thanks from Omar Mohamed the treasurer for kinango
community based organization.

Among the guest Speakers
Teddy Mwambire CWID
Lilian Indombera Plan International, Kwale
Doctor Salim Omar Ministry Of Health, Kinango Hospital
Maitha G. Maitha Youth Representative
Hadija Hamisi Women Development Group

RECOMMENDATION
The event was a big success, many residents turned up and they also had an opportunity
to get to know of the 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence and the
women’s rights.

APPRECIATION
Coast Women In Development acknowledges the incessant support of Pwani Oil and
Milly Glass Works Limited, they made all our programmes a success.