All school-going girls in Machakos County who have given birth now have an opportunity to resume their studies thanks to a new initiative dubbed, ‘2nd Chance To The Girl Child’.

The program spearheaded by Machakos County Women Representative Joyce Kamene Kasimbi is aimed at helping girls who became pregnant while in school to continue their education after giving birth.

Kamene revealed that the program has successfully reintegrated around 150 young girls back into school across Machakos County. She also mentioned the establishment of mentorship programs for these young mothers to encourage and support them, emphasizing that giving birth should not mark the end of their education.

Launching the program in Wamunyu, Kamene noted that the mentorship programs also focus on educating other school-going girls on avoiding behaviours that might lead to early pregnancies, helping them stay focused on their education.

Reflecting on the rise in teenage pregnancies during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kamene explained that this increase prompted her to start the initiative. Many young girls who gave birth during this period were performing well in school, but their education was disrupted, causing many parents to lose hope.

Kamene confirmed that the initiative is fully sponsored, offering full scholarships, primarily benefiting girls in day secondary schools, affirming that the girls can continue their education while also taking care of their children after school.

The program aims to restore hope to young mothers who might have otherwise given up on their education.

She also distributed sanitary towels to over 15 schools in Mwala Sub-County, where the girls also received mentorship sessions from experts.