It is true that 4 out of 7 rural based households have more than 3 orphaned children,equally true is the disheartening fact that almost half of these children are total orphans with some as young as 9 years caring for their siblings.
Worrying still is the live fact that all these orphaned children inherited nothing from their parents other than poverty,they have limited access to HUMAN CAPITAL ASSET.
In my village alone,one of the poorest regions in Kenya with the highest number of HIV/AIDS related deaths,many orphaned children are 2-3 years away from school going age- with the largest percentage in the range of 13-17 years old.
These age bracket either dropped out of school due to lack of sponsorship,early pregnancy,education facilities,food and name it.
The major concern is that these children are fast graduating into adulthood minus any skill to enable them participate in the meaningful development of their motherland.The only way to demonstrate that we care for their future is equip these children with market -oriented skills,it is only through this initiative that these children could work in both formal and non formal sector,and is only through this that the world can rest assured that food is put on their table for keeps
john kennedy opyo/...................................................................
The writer is the founder
okinyi opiyo trust
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