Child protection at Echariria Primary School

“I was trained in child protection in 2012. If any issue based on child protection arises I am tweeted by the child protection officer. It may be a child who is roaming around the village instead of being at school, or a threat of early marriage, or a case of sexual harassment. All of the children at the school have the child protection officer’s number. The officer contacts me if she has heard from a child and I will contact the police.

I have had so many reports from parents who were worried that they were doing things wrong or that they were having problems. For example, a mother of a couple of the girls in the health club told me that her husband had left her. I gave her the child protection officer’s number and she spoke to the husband. Now they are reconciled and the husband continues to contribute towards the girls’ school fees.

We now have a library that provides information on life skills and child rights. These powerful books were supplied by Build Africa: they protect us by giving us knowledge and legitimacy. They contain activities that show the dangers of adults taking advantage of children. The pupils come to us now if they have child protection issues: they know that they are safe and can be open.

I talk to girls and boys separately, because boys have different needs to girls. The boys shout that they are being forgotten. Our boys have also changed their attitudes towards education. It is good now. The boys see that the girls are here to learn as well and are doing very well.”