Canadian government plans to help rescue girls from retrogressive practices and promote girl child education in West Pokot.
The Canadian Government has plans to help rescue girls who run away from retrogressive practices like female genital mutilation and early forced marriages and promote education in West Pokot County.
Canadian high commissioner to Kenya Her Excellency Ms Sara Hradecky toured the County yesterday meeting several school girls who had been rescued from vices by establishing priorities ,issues and challenges facing girls and women so that they can be empowered by the Canadian government.
Her visit to the county will help boost the girl child education as they face myriad of challenges such as female genital mutilation FGM and early marriages which are cultural practices that hamper girl child education.
The ambassador visited Kongelai in Kapenguria, Kamketo girls in Kasei and Akelim in North Pokot sub County.
The ambassador who first met the area governor at his office and local leaders to interior places in the county assured residents to empower women and girls in the region.
“Girls have not been given apriority in education in this place.We shall make sure their lives changes,”she said.
Hradecky added that the Canadian government will ensure that girls from the Pokot community are protected from early forced marriages and FGM.
“We want to see women and girls empowered economically,”she said.
She said that they will expand their programs that are run by Canadian NGOs working in the county and ensure that residents are incorporated in the programs they are sponsoring in eleven national polytechnics.
“We want to uplift the lives of locals in this region and to be empowered ,”she said.
Hradecky added that women and girls need to be empowered citing that many girls are being denied the opportunity to be in school.
The high commissioner said she will in turn inform the Canadian government as they plan the adequate intervention measures’ to help.
Area governor John Lonyangapuo who led the Canadian high commissioner to visit the interior villages in the county said the county needs support so as every child can get right to education.
He requested the Canadian government to also focus on school feeding programs to help retain learners at school.
Lonyangapuo added that the county government faces a lot of challenges and the funds they receive can not be adequate to build modern facilities, rescue centers and schools for the girls.
“The area requires opening up of schools and setting up infrastructures, we were marginalized for a long period of time but the support from international organization will help improve the livelihoods of our people.” he said.
He said his government will partner with the Canadian government together to fight out vices that have affected women in the community.
Lonyangapuo said West Pokot and Turkana Counties are in process of partnering to set up boarding schools along the border of the two counties.
Kacheliba MP Mark Lomunokol urged the residents in the area to embrace education and ensure that all girls get education and shun away retrogressive cultures
“We want girls to be helped like boys ,”she said.
Lomunokol appealed to both local political leaders and churches to take a leading role in promoting education and report cases of young girls being married off at an early age.
Lomunokol asked the community to abandon the outdated cultural practices.
“Chiefs should sensitize the community on the dangers of this vices and ensure they come to an end” he said.