How a trained faith leader changed a community
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“Pastors are now resource persons, teaching and
advocating for children in the community and not just opening and closing
meetings in prayers.”
“I decided to be an offering to God by staying in my
community to serve as a pastor, unlike most people here who when they get
educated, move away to towns and abandon their community.”
Joshua has
been a pastor since 2000 in Kasei. He has a Diploma in Theology and also in
Business Management. Joshua is a Channels of Hope Child Protection (COH-CP)
trainer.
Before,
child marriage was a huge problem, cases of abduction of girls for marriage was
rampant even to the extent of not asking parental consent in some cases.
“Those
days, girls were seen as family wealth; if you have many daughters, then you
are rich (with expected dowry),” says Pastor Joshua. “There was once a case of
a girl abducted and taken to Uganda, and she has never returned to date. She
was in grade 8.” No one cared who married the girl as long as they give dowry,
the more the cows, the better and no one cared about the character of the man, whether
acceptable or not. Pastor Joshua adds that a pastor was once beaten up by
people who suspected that he reported a girl’s abduction to the authorities.
World
Vision Kenya brought messaging and exposure to the community against FGM and
early marriage. Through radios, community meetings and different ways of
advocacy within the community targeting different audiences, the elders, the
women, children.
The
World Vision programmes, including models like Community Change (C-Change),
Celebrating Families and Channels of Hope, have
made a difference. Through C-Change, there is great unity in the family and the
community as people rediscover themselves, new mindset on their challenges and
the resources within them.
“There is
change now, girls are valued as boys.” Men now see the value of women and not
downgraded like before. They seat together in church which was different
before, as men sat in one row and women in a different section.
Women are
now allowed to raise income to supplement the home needs. There is variety of
food in the community such as vegetables (kales, tomatoes etc.) now grown and
sold as women are exposed to savings groups and trainings on small business
skills. Even girls who have had challenges of early pregnancy are rehabilitated
and accepted in their homes instead of being sent away to the father of the
child or being denied a chance to return to school. That pregnancy is not the
end of everything.
“There is,
therefore, improved cooperation at the family and community levels. School
enrolment is greatly improved in the area,” Joshua said.
Children
would be moved out during the church service but now they are allowed to attend
and are also seen as important members of the church. “We have learnt that we
need to be the voice of the children as churches and pastors,” says Pastor
Joshua.
Pastor Joshua
also worked through the pastors’ network in the area to promote the wellbeing
of children and the community. World Vision trained the pastors’ network on
spiritual nurture of children, child protection and other important topics
affecting the community. The pastors’ network even rescued a girl and put her
back to school as they exercised their advocacy role in the community.
Bishop Harun Maswai,
COH CP lead (mentor to Joshua on COH) commented, “I have
seen pastors make better use of their time and get involved in community
issues. They realise they and the church have a role to play in being a voice
for the vulnerable, the voiceless in society.”
“One pastor
gave a testimony how in his church and community, after his engagement, over 35
children transitioned to high school in the area, where none used to move
forward to high school in the past. It was historic in the area, because of COH
engagement.”
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