This archive report was first published on 28 August 2019.
Kenyan NGO Girl Pride Africa: Kenya Supports Young Mothers ¶
Published on August 28, 2019
Mercylyne Werre, the founder of the Kenyan chapter of Girl Pride, an NGO that supports single mothers aged between nine and 23, has seen firsthand the devastating effects of early pregnancy and HIV on young girls. 'It's shocking to imagine a nine-year-old who's pregnant, but as a nurse, I've seen girls of all ages walk through our dispensary doors,' she says.
After encountering at least 300 cases of young mothers in a span of six months, Mercylyne decided she had to do more than just pass on a diagnosis. She partnered with Girl Pride Africa, based in South Africa, and started a Kenyan branch, Girl Pride Africa: Kenya. The NGO's vision is to champion education, support, and behavioral change for young girls and women, particularly in Siaya where she lives.
According to Mercylyne, the problem of early pregnancy and HIV is not limited to Siaya. 'When I shared this issue with my husband who's a statistician, he did some research and found similar cases in Homa Bay, Busia, and Kakamega,' she says. 'Culturally in these parts, sex is considered a taboo, something that shouldn’t be discussed with children.'
The NGO's sessions, which take place twice a month, are an open forum where everyone can share their experiences. 'We try to instil in them is abstinence,' Mercylyne says. 'We talk to them about staying in school because education is their only hope for a good life. Even though we emphasise abstinence, we also talk to them about safe sex, not just family planning but using a condom to prevent infections.'
Many of the girls are abandoned by the men as soon as they get pregnant. 'We had a case of a girl, Ann, who got pregnant a second time and her sister, who she was living with, kicked her out,' Mercylyne says. 'We helped her find a small house and are paying her rent.'
The NGO's ultimate vision is to spread beyond Siaya to other counties with similar problems and build up these girls so that they leave them strong and independent. 'We want to build up these girls so that we leave them strong and independent,' Mercylyne says.
