The Principal Secretary, State Department for Children Welfare and Social Protection, Carren Ageng’o, has said that the government is committed to promoting child protection and welfare to ensure a stable society as the foundation for the development of the country.
Ageng’o said that the government had developed strong policies and legal frameworks that uphold the rights of children to ensure a smooth growth and progression of the lives of the children.
Speaking during the launch of the Day of the African Child celebrations at Masinde Muliro Stadium in Bungoma, PS Ageng’o said that the government had prioritized budgets in the health and education sector towards the welfare of children, adding that 30 percent of the national budget was earmarked for activities that involve children.
She said that through the Orphans and Vulnerable Children program funded by the government, children are able to receive the much-needed financial support that has enabled them to stay in school and pursue their education to the end.
The P.S. said that the government was making efforts to provide devices for children with special needs to enable them attend school alongside engaging in other activities to improve their lives.
She said that food, water and access to education through bursaries were the main areas of concern for children and called for concerted efforts amongst stakeholders in ensuring these issues are met to the letter.
The P.S who was accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of National Council for Children Services, Abinur Sheikh, thanked all stakeholders who had participated in the event.
About 1,000 children drawn from various schools in Bungoma County turned up for the event. The Day of the African Child main event will be held on the 16th of June this year in Makueni County.
Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka said that his administration had rolled out the County Child Protection Policy that will enhance children’s welfare.
He called for concerted efforts amongst stakeholders to ensure that children get access to quality education, quality health care and basic education.
The County government, he said had increased funding for Early Childhood Education (ECD) and introduced a program, known as UJI. This program will provide children in ECD centres with porridge as a strategy to enable them to attend school regularly and for nutrition supplementation purposes.
By Joshua Omache and Catherine Nyongesa
