Gravity of high teenage pregnancy remains the same in Kenya. Data from the Demographic and Health surveys show that almost 2 out 10 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are reported to be pregnant or have had a child already.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) “pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 years globally. The toxic combination of young girls having sex, getting pregnant and going through childbirth when her body is not developed enough accounts for at least 25% of known fistula cases.
LEFI builds the capacity of the adolescent girls at Secondary school level through Young Champions Fistula Clubs. This approach allows the adolescents girls to be part of the solution as they engage in focused dialogues with their peers in schools’ setup on reproductive health, adolescent health, maternal deaths & complications such as fistula in relation to adolescence pregnancy.
In 2021 LEFI launched eight Young champions Fistula Clubs at the county level. The counties include Uasingishu, Transzoia, Bungoma, Siaya, Busia, Migori, Vihiga and West Pokot
Through YCFC girls are empowered through capacity building, trainings and mentoring that is critical in their role of advocacy. With knowledge, skills, and platforms, they are able to advocate for their needs & rights and challenge harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation and child forced marriage. Through YCFC the adolescent boys and girls create awareness on mental health.
LEFI’s goal of addressing poverty as a contributor to early sexual involvement among the girls especially from needy
families- where they are easily lured into early sexual involvement to meet
their needs. The lack of knowledge and skills among the adolescents to budget
and manage the resources they access; girls and boys are equipped with
knowledge & skills on low-scaled financial literacy and entrepreneurship
trainings that provides a basis for young people to start engaging in Income Generating
Activities for an economic empowered young generation.