Protection Services for 100 Rural Kenyan Children

Nobody could have predicted when the COVID-19 pandemic first started how slowly the infectious disease would affect social structures like families and even schools. To combat the pandemic, governments had to put measures into action. For example, the Kenyan government implemented several measures, including a nationwide curfew, the restriction of social gatherings, and the cessation of movement in certain counties. All educational institutions—from primary schools to tertiary institutions—were also to close by the beginning of March 2020. Because of this, pupils were out of school for almost nine months with little to do at home. While there was a noticeable increase in the incidence of gender-based violence during the lockdown, children were at the risk of sexual abuse and early pregnancy. They were also exposed to drugs and substance abuse because of idleness at home.

This phenomenon also led to a significant surge in juvenile delinquency and antisocial behaviour, which prompted Mirai to take targeted action to lower these numbers. For instance, despite being a few kilometres from Nairobi, the nation's capital, Lukenya Location in Machakos County has been steadily developing. Consequently, delinquent behaviours like truancy and the radicalization of children into gangs and religious extremism still persists. For this reason, dealing with students who require preventive measures and rehabilitative interventions has been a significant issue for school teachers. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Mirai aimed to enhance cooperation between educational institutions and community volunteers who had received training on child protection, with the goal of implementing comprehensive and effective crime prevention activities in Lukenya Location. In the project, more than 1,128 students were able to attend delinquency prevention seminars thanks to the trained community volunteers.

At the beginning of 2024, Mirai launched another phase in the same location, based on the project's end-of-term evaluation, to guarantee sustainable results. Through ongoing, volunteer-run delinquency prevention club activities, the project seeks to improve the life skills of children in six target schools. This included training parents and teachers on the juvenile justice system, prevalent delinquency in their communities, and even relevant life skills to prevent crimes (February–April, 2024). Teachers effectively started club activities in the schools during the second school term, with at least 20 students from Junior Secondary School and Grades 4-6 in each club (May-July, 2024).

We plan to offer child protection services to children over the December school break in light of this experience. Due to the length of the holiday, which is frequently observed, children may participate in antisocial behaviour and even be at risk of early pregnancy and sexual abuse. Children will have a place to unwind and get relevant programs on life skills, delinquency prevention, early pregnancy prevention, and even participate in engaging activities like ball games if a safe space (Nafasi) is provided. Support is therefore essential to guaranteeing children's empowerment and safety over the holiday break.