Main Story
Why teenage pregnancy sets bleak future for Kenya and African Nations
By Henry Onyango
O
n Thursday July 11, the world marked World Population Day 2013. The annual event
WHO further revealed that about 16 million girls aged 15-16 years give birth each year in developing countries all over the world. Judy Atieno, 18, (not her real name) is among the staggering millions of girls feeling the pain of early pregnancies.
Being a first born in a family of five, Judy’s parents had hoped that she would be a good role model for her juniors- all girls. The situation however was the opposite; her younger sister conceived and gave birth while in class seven in 2011. Unlike her sister who has since gone
spearheaded by UN, seeks to raise awareness about population issues. This year’s theme focused on adolescent pregnancy. The 2009, Kenya Population and Housing census shows that 9.2 Million of the population are young people aged 10-19 years out of which forty nine percent are females. Further, a report by the World Health Organisation(WHO) has indicated that a relatively large proportion of the young girls have their sexual debut by the age of 15 years resulting in high level of early pregnancies. 12
Judy is amongst the many young girls in Siaya County who have dropped out of school due to the menace. She conceived at a tender age of 14 while in class six. Harsh teachers and the school administration could not allow her do her final exams to join class seven the following year, 2009 after the pregnancy became visible.
back to school, Judy has never thought of continuing with her education. In a phone interview with The Seed she says she is still haunted by the mockery her fellow pupils showed her. Judy who lives with her grandmother finds it hard to afford basic food items and clothing for herself and her child. All they have to survive on is the little they get from her 60 year old widowed-
THE SEED - VOL 25, No. 8 AUGUST 2013