By MKT Correspondent
Child abuse is increasing in the border sub-county of Moyale in Marsabit County, with the Child Protection Manager of the non-governmental organisation Strategies for Northern Development (SND), Joan Kosgei, revealing that child labour is due to increased gold mining activities at Hillo.
Kosgei disclosed that hundreds of children, mainly from neighbouring countries, were crossing the border to work in the unregulated gold mines.
The gold mines also negatively impacted school enrolment in the area, with Watiti primary school experiencing a dropout of 44 boys.
SND is working in collaboration with government agencies and parents to stem child exploitation in the area.
The organisation has formed a Cross Border Working Group to sensitise communities against child exploitation and unsafe migration.
βWe managed to rescue 16 pupils who had dropped out of school to work in the Hillo gold mines in Dabel, but the menace is still rampant,β she said, adding that cases of minors under 18 years engaging in small businesses such as water hawking in Moyale town are widespread.
The organisation has managed to rescue 16 pupils who had dropped out of school to work in the Hillo gold mines in Dabel, but the menace is still rampant.
