There is a ray of hope for Kilifi’s bright pupils after a Kilifi child protection NGO called ‘Friends for Justice’ declared that it was spending over 68 million shillings every year to sponsor victims of child abuse to achieve their academics in order to overcome their trauma.
Friends for Justice, a Kilifi-based child philanthropic organization, is currently sponsoring over 420 children from primary, secondary, and higher schools to assist them to become a face in their society.
The organization was started on humble beginnings after incidences of child abuse, both male and female, reached the ceilings in Kilifi, triggering their rescue, which later resulted in caring and, finally, education.
Ms Kinyua said the organization first focuses on the child’s right to justice before engaging their personal basic needs which includes education, mentorship, counselling and also giving a home for a while for the children.
Speaking in Kilifi during a mentorship, prayer, and flagging-off program for the students back to their schools, Ms Kinyua says among the students they sponsor this year, 178 are from secondary schools, 66 from college, and the rest in primary level.
Ms Kinyua said that a lot of children in Kilifi undergo child abuse right from sexual assault for young girls, sodomy, and beating at the hands of their relatives but most of the cases are not reported.
“In Kilifi law court, 7 out of 16 cases are from child abuse a day a situation that has seen the society of Kilifi left with an age group of rotten childhood that at the age of 10 to 15 years they are already engaged into drug abuse,” she said.
The event that was also graced by Kilifi governor Gideon Mung’aro, his deputy Flora Chibule, Kilifi woman rep Getrude Mbeyu, Kilifi’s CECM for Disaster management and public service Felkin Kaingu saw the children feeling encouraged to focus for their future and overcome stigma.
On his part Kilifi governor Gideon Mung’aro was quick to quash such illegal and unwarranted behavior with the society and called for a full child protection program to ensure Kilifi child is safe.
He said his government has plans to start up a county-sponsored child protection center to facilitate those going through abuse for their future upbringing.
Governor Mung’aro however said in education his government has already set aside 350 million shillings as bursary allocations to wards to ensure kids are supported to attend schools.
The governor called for more partners in child protection programs and also in education programs to ensure the Kilifi child is safe citing that in developed countries education is highly supported from the private sector through the chamber of commerce.
