JAKARTA - Babies and the giggling of teenagers mark lessons at Serene Haven Secondary, a school located on the hill beneath the cloud-capped Mount Kenya.
Here, 17 teenage mothers and pregnant girls get a second chance to complete their education. The majority of them were forced out of local schools, because they were pregnant or already had children.
In normal years, stigma, welfare and money force an estimated 13,000 pregnant girls in Kenya to drop out of school, according to government data. The number is likely to jump this year.
"COVID-19 closes schools and triggers an increase in teenage pregnancies, as well as sexual harassment," a local humanitarian agency told Reuters.
Yes, this is the sad reality that Kenyan girls have to face, when the majority of them get pregnant against their will, they also have to be expelled from school.
For example, Emily (17), who said she was 'attacked' by a man who said she would teach her a lesson, was when the school closed. He asked to have his identity covered to protect his privacy.
“My mom doesn't let me go back to school. She was worried that they would mean me or tease me, ”said Emily, who is six months pregnant.
Then Emily met Elizabeth Wanjiru Muriuki, a former animation social worker, who founded an assessment-free boarding school with child care and counseling services. Serene Haven School opened in January, when other schools in Kenya, Africa reopened.
Young mothers are busy in libraries and other school corners with babies in arms. There is a nursing mother on hand when needed and nursing breaks in between lessons.
“Initially we only had three babies who were over one year old. "Other babies and pregnancies occurred during the COVID-19 period," said Muriuki.
Meanwhile, for Josephine Wanjiru (19) who has been out of school for two years, Serene Haven means she can achieve her dream of becoming a nurse, something she had previously given up on as a young mother.
"I am very happy, because I never imagined something like this before," said Wanjiru while breastfeeding her 17 month old daughter.
Muriuki herself is a teenage mother and continues to finish school and build a career.
"There are some girls who come here and are really sad, they feel this is the end of the world," said Muriuki.
"I started by giving them my story, they were very encouraged and excited, like 'Ah, if you can do it, we can do it too," he concluded.
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