How teacher-founded charity is helping teenage and vulnerable mothers

• EMN is a charitable organization focused on supporting vulnerable mothers in rural villages.
• Overcoming resistance to change and ensuring cultural sensitivity in the wake of promoting progressive ideas poses a considerable obstacle.
• Some mothers go through a lot, and addressing the challenges calls for perseverance, strategic collaborations, continuous learning, and adaptability.

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For Juster Kagendi, the Founder of Empower Mum Network (EMN), motherhood is a concept only woven in love, resilience, and sacrifice.

Born and bred in Marimanti Ward, Tharaka Nithi County, she is lucky to have gone to school in a society still immersed in cherished traditions, values, and practices.

Despite all odds, Kagendi walked the slippery floor of cultural misconceptions, jumping over the thorns of societal misgivings, until 2010, when she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education Arts from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA).

Setting the bar

Empower Mum Network (EMN), a charitable organization focused on supporting vulnerable mothers in rural villages, has fueled a fervent commitment and resilience among vulnerable people in Marimanti by igniting the fire of hope among teens and vulnerable mothers in the village.

In an interview with Scholar Media Africa, Kagendi shares her excitement about founding the organization, expressing her passion in uplifting the marginalized in the community and supporting teen mothers, whom she says are stigmatized and disillusioned.

“As an African girl, I embraced the cultural fabric of my community, engaging in daily chores and believing in our great values and practices.

My commitment to education and empowerment extends beyond academia to a deep-rooted desire to uplift communities through creating sustainable change. Today, I have a duty to share hope with the hopeless and encourage the discouraged to look up and step forward,” says Kagendi.

Cultural fears

She says vulnerable people, especially teen mothers and vulnerable families, struggle with health concerns, and any form of neglect is a license to either desperation or death.

Advocating against deeply ingrained societal norms, such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), requires delicate navigation.

Kagendi adds that overcoming resistance to change and ensuring cultural sensitivity in the wake of promoting progressive ideas poses a considerable obstacle.

The Gacege Secondary School teacher in Kiambu County says high school education imbued her with invaluable life lessons and a thirst for continuous learning.

“When I joined CUEA, I embarked on a transformative journey to help define my community where teenagers, especially girls, never focused on education due to cultural limitations. Education is the gateway to making tangible and positive impact in any society,” she adds.

Beyond cultural limitations

EMN continues to enlighten and empower vulnerable mothers in a more structured and dignified manner. It has uplifted teen mothers through mentorship and crucial resources to help them pursue education for a promising future.

Kagendi adds that the Network has reached out to a broader spectrum of vulnerable mothers within her community, breaking existing cultural barriers, hence empowering them to thrive and fostering independence and resilience.

“Once a girl gets pregnant, she is forgotten and forced into marriage at an age that you wonder whether her relatives truly exist. It doesn’t concern them anymore.

The victim is left alone to maneuver the unfriendly vacuum of marriage, as parents or relatives sit pretty, after receiving dowry,” she regrets.

Empowerment

According to her, focusing on women’s wellness and underscoring a holistic approach to empowerment should be the primary focus of any community.

She says that dignity treatment of vulnerable mothers needs a collaborative approach since such mothers are not in the streets but in houses and homes where people live. For the society to change, she says, individuals must change.

“For vulnerable mothers, especially teen mothers, the Network offers a spectrum of resources ranging from educational materials to parental guidance.

These resources aim to empower them with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate challenges, pursue education, and build a stable future for themselves and their families.

Through mentorship programs, she adds, EMN helps vulnerable mothers overcome life hurdles, make informed decisions, and develop confidence in their abilities.

It offers a platform for sharing experiences, seeking advice, and finding solidarity with others facing similar circumstances. The sense of belonging, according to Kagendi, encourages mutual support and reduces isolation.

“EMN promotes physical and mental well-being by providing guidance on health care, mental health support, and wellness practices. It paves the way for resilient women to rise above challenges, embrace opportunities, and shape a brighter and promising future,” she says.

Call to serve

Kagendi mentions Mandy King Adams, Founder and CEO of Growing Academy, as a remarkable pillar of inspiration, in her career. As a life coach and educationist, she says, Adams has been a beacon of knowledge and personal development.

“Adam’s expertise as a life coach and her prolific contributions through numerous articles on motherhood speak volumes about empowering vulnerable mothers,” she states.

Kagendi, who draws her motivation from resilient and determined mothers she has worked with, remembers the strength inherent in the human heart, which she says continually refuels her commitment to supporting vulnerable mothers’ empowerment. 

She also draws her support from students, whom she refers to as the source of her everyday inspiration.

“Their thirst for knowledge, unique perspectives, and untapped potential serve as a reminder of the transformative role of education. In witnessing their growth and enthusiasm, I find meaning in empowerment and the ripple effect of education in shaping the future,” she states.

Kagendi claims the influence of mothers striving for a better life, education-thirsty girl child, and kind-hearted individuals making a global impact continue to shape her journey, time and again, stoking the fire of self-drive, passion for education, community empowerment, and preservation of the beauty of her heritage.

She states that her career stands at the convergence of education and community service, where she harnesses expertise as an educator to instill a boundless love for learning while championing the cause of social empowerment.

“This dual role enables me to weave and amplify a narrative of positive change, impacting lives within and beyond the classroom, fostering a more inclusive and empowered society,” she clarifies.

Kagendi, through EMN, believes in hope and progress, where every mother, irrespective of age or circumstance, has the opportunity to survive, thrive, and contribute to a more inclusive and empowered community.

Policy gaps

She looks forward to overseeing educational programs that advocate for marginalized communities, especially teens and vulnerable mothers.

Curriculum developers, according to her, should align learning concepts to the ever-changing needs of society, by listening to educational policy advocacy.

She regrets that students who give birth on the eve of national examinations have always been subjected to examinations in hospital beds, a serious affront to the basic rights of both the mother and the newborn baby.

“This year, I had to baby-sit a newborn baby as the mother sat her national examinations. Can’t the government, through the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), come up with better ways of treating students who give birth on the eve or during national examinations?” posed Kagendi.

The motherhood activist says it was time both the county governments and national government partnered with like-minded organizations to create sustainable programs for women’s empowerment, education and wellness.

“Communities must come together to advocate for motherhood-friendly policies because it is the role of government, through the National Assembly, to listen to the people’s views.

Forced marriages, rape, and Female Genital Mutilation should be dealt with decisively. There is no better way of dealing with such other than through legislation.

Apparently, we have very weak laws, which give culprits the room to maneuver and escape the dragnet. This is regrettable,” she lamented.

Challenges

Even as she embarks on motherhood advocacy, she says the responsibility has come with its fair share of challenges. The emotional toll is so heavy and tempting that striking a balance between empathetic engagement and maintaining personal well-being can be demanding.

She alludes that some mothers go through a lot, and addressing the challenges calls for perseverance, strategic collaborations, continuous learning, and adaptability in approaches to create meaningful and impactful change in communities.

Facts and law

Human Rights Watch has always castigated the government of Kenya for weak policies on teenage pregnancies.

In 2021, the Human Rights Watch reported the presence of weak implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of teenage policy on education.

It stated that pregnant girls face multiple barriers to staying in school, such as accommodation for breastfeeding, child care, stigma in schools and communities, and lack of finances.

Nominated Senator Miraj Abdillahi has sponsored a bill dubbed The Care and Protection of Child Parents Bill, 2023, which seeks to give hundreds of female learners a second chance to continue with their education.

The bill says in part, “Every child who, while enrolled in an institution of basic education and training, falls pregnant and as a result drops out of school, or is of school-going age but falls pregnant while out of school, shall have the right to be readmitted or enrolled into an institution of basic education and training.”

If the bill goes through, students who get pregnant while still in school will have access to pre-natal and post-natal health information and counselling support services.

The Ministry of Health reported 45,724 pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 19 in January and February 2022, averaging 775 daily.

Stephanie Musho, a Nairobi-based expert in reproductive justice and a human rights lawyer, termed the statistics  “disturbing and mind-blowing.”

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Kagendi remains optimistic that even as she strives to improve the healthy living of vulnerable mothers, more resources will be channelled into promoting the education of teen mothers and creating awareness.