By Steve Khaemba, DevReporter, Nakuru County
Key Highlights
- The need for immediate action to invest in young girls’ lives, enabling them to pursue education
- Distributing sanitary towels, offering educational bursaries, and addressing unsafe abortion issues
- Offer psychological counselling, mentorship, and family therapy to support teenage mothers.
Deep within Nakuru County, a subtle yet potent problem is developing. The number of teenage pregnancy is rising; forcing young girls to deal with parenting while their friends go to school.
For many, wider social faults such as poverty, neglect, and lack of access to essential resources, have contributed to this transformative event in addition to individual decisions. Local groups, parents, and community members are banding together to tackle these difficulties.
A Surge in Teenage Pregnancies
One in five teenage females in Nakuru County is either pregnant or have given birth already, this is according to National Council for Population and Development. In a culture where more than 59% of sexually active girls do not use contraception, there is a dangerously high risk of adolescent pregnancy and STDs.
John Kamau Kang’ethe of Kiamorogi community, has personal experience with this. John reassessed his role as a father after his sixteen-year-old daughter became pregnant.
“I became aware that I had neglected her when she became pregnant. That’s why I enrolled her in a mentorship program through Okoa Kairetu. I’m learning now that we must be present as parents, not just providers,” said John Kamau.
Okoa Kairetu: A Lifeline for Teenage Mothers
In response to the growing rate of teenage pregnancy, organisations like Okoa Kairetu, have stepped up to support affected girls and their families. They do this by providing psychological counselling, mentorship, and family therapy for teenage mothers, while also offering a safe space for girls who feel abandoned or stigmatised.
Zipora Nyangara Mumbi, a director at Okoa Kairetu, says that the programme addresses not just the symptoms but the root causes of the crisis.
“The normalisation of teenage pregnancy is deeply troubling,” Zepira explains. “In some families, it’s seen as inevitable, so it becomes harder to challenge,” she continues.
“But the real issue is that many of these girls come from dysfunctional families. They’re vulnerable, and often they exchange sex for basic necessities like sanitary towels. It’s heart-breaking,” She adds
This troubling reality is compounded by other factors, including lack of proper sex education and the influence of harmful online content. Morris Kamau, a community health volunteer (CHV) from Kiamorogi Village, emphasizes how early neglect and exposure to unfiltered media can shape young girls’ decisions.
“Without proper guidance, they turn to the Internet, which is full of harmful influences,” Morris explains. “These girls are exposed to peer pressure and risky situations that they aren’t equipped to handle.”
Economic Hardship and Vulnerability
Nakuru’s adolescent pregnancy epidemic stems from the persistent
hold of poverty. It’s a sobering truth that highlights the intricate connections between adolescent pregnancy, sexual health, and poverty.
“These days, the Internet is raising our children more than we are,” says John Kang’ethe, a parent. “Our kids are learning from strangers, not from us.”
Agnes Mumbi, another parent from Nakuru, recalls how she lost touch with her daughter during a difficult period,
“I didn’t know she was involved with boys until it was too late, I wasn’t listening to her, and we weren’t spending time together. I’m currently working to win back that trust,” Agnes says.
The Role of Mentorship and Community Support
Leading Nakuru’s campaign against adolescent pregnancy is the mentoring programme managed by Okoa Kairetu. Mary Wanjiku, a Mentor, emphasises the significance of these connections.
“We help these young mothers understand that having one child doesn’t mean their future is over,” says Mary. “But the challenges are immense. They include balancing parenting, education, and a lack of funds. It’s difficult to pay for necessities like food and tuition. More support from the government is urgently needed.”
A Glimmer of Hope: Government and NGO Collaboration
Acknowledging the crisis, the Nakuru County government has partnered with organizations like Kelin and RHCO to combat teenage pregnancy. Through initiatives that distribute sanitary towels and offer educational bursaries, there is hope that young girls will have the resources they need to stay in school and avoid the trap of early motherhood.
“We’ve had cases of girls missing school because they lack basic necessities like sanitary towels,” she explains. “We’re tackling this as a government, by offering bursaries and distributing sanitary products. But there’s still more work to be done.”
The challenge extends beyond pregnancy to issues like unsafe abortions, which continue to plague the county. A depressing fact is shared by Dorcus Nyambura, a programs officer with Kelin;
“Unsafe abortions are one of the leading causes of mortality among teenagers in Nakuru County. There is a stigma associated with discussing abortion, which has to be addressed”.
A Call for Change
The commitment to reducing maternal mortality and ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal for 2030. Girls are reclaiming their futures with the aid of government partnerships, mentorship programs, and Okoa Kairetu.
We are reminded that these girls’ futures rely on decisions made today, when the accounts of young moms like those in Nakuru, are considered. Let this serve as a wake-up call for all of us to make an investment in our children’s lives so that they may dream big, pursue education, and escape the cycle of poverty and adolescent pregnancy.
