Childline Kenya has unveiled a project to address increasing cases of child labour in Kakamega County.
The project dubbed Not Invisible Anymore (NIA) targets ending exploitative child domestic work.
Childline Kenya Project Officer Ericson Ng’etich said child exploitation has been normalized affecting the wellbeing and education of children in the region.
“Based on the available indicators, we realize that these cases are so many in the county, and we therefore call for your support so that, in case you identify any of them, you report through our hotline number, 116,” he noted.
Ng’etich said through the project, the organization will ensure that children are neither employed in third-party households nor are abused physically, emotionally and mentally.
The project officer also said they were keen to ensure children are able to attend school to learn and achieve their dreams.
On her part, the County Executive for Social Services, Youth, Sports, Gender, Culture and Library Services, Jackline Masicha, noted with concern that scores of children were already exposed to child labour in Kakamega town.
“Our children are being forced into child labor, sometimes you walk here in town, and you see a child hawking in the evening, yet they are not supposed to be doing that at all,” she noted.
Masicha called upon the community to have a collective responsibility in ensuring that all children are protected against any form of abuse.
The County Executive challenged parents to always protect their children from falling prey to selfish individuals out to exploit their vulnerability, despite the prevailing harsh economic times.
She called on members of the community to ensure that as long as any child remains in their custody and care, then they are protected, go to school and are fed.
The Programme Manager for Women in Water and Natural Resources Conservation (WWANC), Chrispinus Shamwama, challenged the government to set aside a budget to economically empower vulnerable families to be able to take care of their children.
At the same time, the founder of Khubabusi Organization in Khwiswero, Isabela Amunga, asked organizations dealing with children’s matters to work collectively, with a view to ensuring every child is safe from any form of exploitation.
By Moses Wekesa
