Some people know poverty by all its names. They know it intimately because it always there, walking with them on their bare feet and empty stomachs. They are aware of its presence every time they have to patch up their school shirt and wear two shorts to cover their bum because their school shorts are torn. They are reminded of its companionship every time the teacher asks them why they did not carry a book or a pen to school.
Such is the story of Swabir Islam, a grade 5 student at Anole Primary School in Bangale Sub County, Tana River County. His situation was so dire that he had decided he was done with school in his first term of grade 4 in 2022.
Figure 1Swabir Omar unable to stand straight due to an accident when he worked as a mango picker during his time as a school drop out
He decided, rather than live with the never-ending stench of poverty hovering over him, he would rather go and work. He was a big boy after all. At the tender age of 11, he had to be a big boy. As such, his decision to get into the work force began so he became a mango picker. His small size made him a perfect candidate. He would climb up mango trees and pick them for whoever was willing to pay until one day, he missed a step and slid off the branch he was on. To date, he still has a limp from the accident. A permanent reminder that things didn’t work out as well as he had hoped because that accident was the end of him being hired for the job. He was no longer useful and misery became his company. His next best bet was to gather wood and sell to charcoal burners.
The Enrolment drive committee in the schools within the region, championed by Women Educational Researchers of Kenya (WERK) through the Watoto Wote Twende Shule program were formed in early February 2023. Swabir was in school by the end of that month through the efforts of his Headteacher, Mr Franktide Ddaiddo. Swabir was back to school with a limp from his hiatus but with a smile and renewed hope. Nobody would send him home for books and stationery anymore because the project was to provide education kits for all the out of school children re-enrolled to their target schools. Swabir who only had two books to his name (one of which was borrowed) in a class he needed 12, had hopes that things would get better and he wouldn’t have to go back to work.
By the time of this reporting, Swabir has turned into an enthusiastic learner who doesn’t miss school at all. The school bag he got and the books he received have all played a huge role in motivating him to keep going to school. Other things like the food program have played a part too but in Swabir’s own words, he is so happy he does not have to borrow books to use in class.
Swabir,s is not the only story of children forced into child labour due to poverty in Bangale Sub County. The boys mostly engage in charcoal burning and livestock rearing. The girls are afflicted with early pregnancies and consequently early marriages in a bid to escape poverty. While the enrollment drives get more of these children back to school, there is worry that some parents, not seeing the value of education, counteract the efforts made by the enrollment drive committees. Community dialogues focusing on changing the mindset of the communities has been key in ensuring that the out of school children especially those re-enrolled after dropping out to work, are not convinced to drop out of school again.