Plan International Kenya will continue funding programs aimed at reducing teenage pregnancies and climate change mitigation projects even if the sponsorship projects they have been facilitating in Siaya come to an end.
According to Plan International Country Director George Otim, the organization will now respond to programs to be funded through grants.
“Siaya’s projects or programs would be funded through grants and donors would require a matching fund as a commitment a new strategy that is contrary to the sponsorship one that we were using to roll out projects in Siaya,” said Otim.
Girls are at increased risk of sexual abuse and exploitation. They face harmful practices that negatively affect their survival, development and ability to achieve their fullest potential
Data from the Country Strategy for the fiscal years July 2021 to June 2026 showed that adolescent girls aged 15-19 account for 14 percent of all births. About 1 in every 5 adolescent girls has either had a live birth or is pregnant with her first child below the age of 20.
According to Violence Against Children Survey (VACS), 2019, 45.9% of female’s experience childhood violence in Kenya. About three out of ten females (31.9%) ages 18-24 experienced a form of violence in the past 12 months.
“Going forward,” said Otim, “there are a number of issues that should be addressed. When you look at statistics of teenage pregnancy it’s at 21 percent and that’s still very high. So we need to collaborate and work in that area.”
The climate change disasters have engulfed part of the country so building community resilience in terms of livelihoods and managing the impacts of the disasters are some of the areas that Plan International will work on.
“The mission for Plan International is to create a world that advances on the rights of children and equality for girls. In fact, as we talk now there is nowhere in the world where we have achieved Gender equality including in United states of America or Europe,” said Mr. Otim.
Otim asked the County Government of Siaya to adopt the twenty years’ development concept to sustain the programs that were funded by Plan International through sponsorship programs.
“We ask the County Government of Siaya to fix into their County Integrated Development Plan all the programs that we were running in Siaya through sponsorship that have now ended. They should budget for them for their continuity,” said Otim.
“We do not want programs that have consumed billions of Shillings and transformed lives to go to waste that’s why proper planning by county government and adoption of the development program will save the programs.”
He also said that: “Once the programs are prioritized in the 5-year plan of the county, other development partners would pick up from there and support them.”
What Plan International has done for the past 20 years, has left a huge landmark in the community. The projects have left a strong impact on the grounds and many ECD centers are shining examples of how funds managed prudently can improve livelihoods.
Plan International has not only sponsored bright and needy student’s education but also offered them bicycles that enhanced their movements thus saving time for study. They have also empowered women economically and so many Groups in Bondo and Rarieda benefited from the dairy goats program.
The County Government of Siaya assured Plan International-Kenya that their twenty-year projects will be sustained with funds prioritized in the budgets.
According to Education Executive Edgar Otumba, the County has committed to ensure sustainability of the projects that have been funded by Plan International-Kenya through sponsorship initiative, acknowledging that they have not only touched lives positively but also transformed residents lives economically.
Otumba who was accompanied by Chief Officer Nicholas Kut Ochogo, said “We are here to assure Plan International-Kenya that we shall avail funds from the budgets to sustain the programs they have been rolling out for 20 years now. In fact, we make an undertaking that the 30 ECD centers built, will regularly be rehabilitated and equipped.” said Otumba.
“As a County Government, we look forward to a possible future collaboration. Many of the programs funded by Plan International are captured in our CIDP,” said Otumba.
County Secretary Joseph Ogutu appreciated the marvelous work done by Plan International saying it’s an eye opener and worth sustaining.
“You have been a friend and a longstanding partner whose impacts are visible in parts of Siaya where you undertook your projects,” said Mr. Ogutu, adding “Plan International Kenya’s continued stay in Siaya County is highly welcomed,” said Ogutu.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Education Chief Officer Dr. Kut Ochogo saying that Siaya still needs Plan International.
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