Narok county first lady, Agnes Ntutu has urged parents to stop hiding children with disabilities under the pretext of saving the family image.
Speaking at the Poroko area in Trans Mara West Sub County, Ntutu asked the parents to instead register them with the National Council of Persons with Disability (NCPWD) so that they can benefit from the stipends given by the government.
The Narok first lady noted that some persons with disability are very talented and can do professional jobs that are challenging to most people.
“Every child is a gift from God. No one knows the good plan that God has for your child. I request you not to hide children with disabilities but expose them to the community so that they can exercise their talents,” she said.
According to Mrs. Ntutu, such acts of discrimination must not be allowed, and children with disabilities must be assured of better living conditions
At the same time, the first lady observed that the county was among the leading counties in teenage pregnancies, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and early marriages that compromise the education standards of girls in the area.
She called upon women to be role models to their young girls in order to avert the retrogressive cultural practices that impact negatively on the girl child education in the county.
She further asked them to spend quality time with their children, teaching them morals that will make them concentrate on their classwork and later become professionals.
“I want to see more doctors, teachers, engineers among other professionals coming out of our young girls. They too have the potential of becoming important people in society if they are given the right support,” she said.
The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) ranked Narok County position four in teenage pregnancy at 28 percent. This was way above the national average of 15 percent.
It is believed that FGM fuels early marriages and teenage pregnancy as girls are taught that once they have undergone the cut, they are mature enough to get married and have children.
Mrs. Ntutu, who was born and brought up in the Maasai Culture said such practices are outdated as they have proved that they were not adding any value to the society but only undermining the girl child.
SOURCE: KNA