This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
Published on June 17, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to Kenyan families and the economy.
With the prolonged closure of schools, early teenage pregnancies and child marriages have become a growing concern. According to the Machakos Children Department, over 4,000 school girls below the age of 19 have been impregnated in the last four months alone.
Salome Muthama, the Machakos Children Department Officer, attributed the increase in early teenage pregnancies to the prolonged closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also pointed out that a majority of the cases involve close relatives, and urged parents to step up in their role.
As the pandemic continues to spread, the economic impact is also being felt, with an estimated 1 million jobs lost in the country since the beginning of the year. The government's measures to contain the spread of the virus have resulted in a massive lay off of employees, with more companies expected to follow suit.
Health CS has urged Kenyans to amicably solve domestic issues and handle stress levels responsibly, as marriages have also been rocked with increased cases of violence.
