This archive report was first published on 7 December 2019.
Published on December 7, 2019, a time when the Kenyan government was committed to ensuring every child had access to education, the issue of child labour was a worrisome trend.
Child labour was rampant in the agricultural sector, where many children toiled while their peers attended school. The poverty ravaging families was a significant driver of this issue, as parents struggled to put food on the table.
However, when children missed school, their families remained trapped in cyclical poverty, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
The government had taken steps to address this issue by waiving tuition fees, but other charges, levies, and requirements such as uniforms and books remained a significant barrier for many poor families.
As a result, some children were unable to take advantage of free tuition due to these additional costs.
Tea farms in the Rift Valley, the fishing industry around Lake Victoria, and the Coast were among the places where children were exploited and paid meagre wages for their labour.
Labour officers and inspectors across the country were doing a commendable job, but they were clearly overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem.
