1. Teenagers, like adults, have sexual urges. And they fulfill them. Only now, with social media, the stories ziko kila mahali, so it seems like more teenagers are getting pregnant. That is not the case. The rates I believe are the same as 10 years ago (factor in population increase).
2. Poor parenting really has a great role in it. But, so does the socio-cultural perceptions and attitudes. Kitambo, if you had a kid huko nje, the girl's parents or relatives wangekutafuta. Especially for those who had very strict parents, and came from cultured communities. What happens siku hizi?
"Mum Niko na ball"
"Eeeeh? Ati???" Kukasirikiana for a while. But mtoi akizaliwa, the grandparent accepts him/her bila kujua baba ako wapi.
3. Either that, or kutoa foetus. We have normalised teenage abortions. It's fine that people have a choice to have a baby or not. But when we dangle a get-out-of-jail-free card like ****, what do you expect?
4. Wanaume we have to take responsibility. Unawikawika "single mothers" hapa yet mtoto wako ako huko nje bila baba.
5. Let's stop blaming single parents. Divorce and being widowed were leading factors on single parenthood. (Siku hizi ni wanaume kuingia Karura. And we chest thump here vile we took slices tukaingia mitini). Polepole, the community stopped caring to see these kids were raised vizuri. Widows are now left to their own devices. Because they are young, they don't have proper guidance on how to behave and act, which would prevent them from exposing their children to harmful behaviours and attitudes. Even those who try, they lack something only a Male figure would provide to these children. Studies show that the presence of a cultured and principled man (whether father or not) acts as a barrier or deterrent to misbehaviour by kids. (Therefore, point six)
6. As a man, if your sister, daughter or cousin is a single parent, wouldn't you be proud if your nephew or grandchild turned out to be a great man? Smart and mindful? Step up maze. Help the girl set and ensure proper values for her son. Be a father figure for that child. All they need is a strong male hand willing to show the way. Then we reset the misdirection we are on.
7. Catholic, Anglican, SDA and Islam.......in short, religious countries in this country are failing us. They sponsor majority of schools (primary, high school, pre-school), not forgetting, being major mobilisers of people. Yet, religious institutions wamekataa Comprehensive Sex Education ifanywe shule. Completely opposed it. Sponsor akikataa ufanye kitu shule yake huwezi fanya kitu. It seems even government imeshindwa. Yet kuna sensible child development officers pale Ministry of Education championing for this. There is a big difference between knowing this is a jembe, and knowing how and when to use it. Few people know when and how to use a weeding jembe, vs a ploughing jembe. The same way, hawa watoi, despite being able to name different contraceptive methods, they don't know which to use, when and how. We cannot blame them on that. The buck stops with government, and religious institutions.
We may blame parents. But how do you expect someone who has never had sex education to teach someone the same? Tuache ufala. Schools are the second most influential socialising agent kwa binadamu. If we used it well, we can address some of the problems associated with substances, mental health and reproduction.
