Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Why We Are Sending Mumbua to School

"Prostitution Turns Child Exploitation

Sex for payment is so common in Nairobi, on the coast of Kenya, particularly in the vacation towns of Mombasa and Malindi, that the thirst for prostitution has led to the widespread exploitation of children. Kenya is now considered one of the worldwide hubs for child sex tourism.

In 2006, UNICEF released a report on child trafficking in Kenya revealing that up to 30 percent of teenage girls ages as young as 12 living on the coast were involved in casual sex for cash"


From this article.

2 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Oh my God, Al. That's so awful. I always knew we were sending Mumbua to school for a good reason -- education in and of itself -- but this article points out just exactly what the alternative is. When you send out your next appeal, please put this information in it. Who knows, maybe one day Mumbua will become an educator in Kenya to her community, to her daughters. As we pursue our careers here in America and grow fat and happy, we will be able to continue to support her and her family and community and even her country with our moneygrams. Just think how many girls we could save from this awful fate then.

Al said...

Hey, that's a great idea, sending this blurb out with my next appeal! I knew that's why we had to send her to school - the issue of girls turning to prostitution was pretty much my biggest concern. Of course we all believe strongly in the importance of educating women, but I was pretty much worried about the sex trade and keeping Mumbua out of it (not that Mboya would of allowed it but he is gone from home a LOT working)
so yes. Good point, great advice :D