Factors Affecting Child Development In Rural Communities
Children are the most critical people in developing communities. They are a generation that requires the most attention during their development ages as the experiences they undergo at this stage shapes their views and responses in the future. Their interactions with the people around them play a big role in what they learn and how they develop. This article is focusing on social-economic community setups in Ebukanga Sub-County, Vihiga County, in the Western region of Kenya as factors that affect child development.
Most children are affected by factors such as conflict among the parents, poverty, sexual abuse, neglect, the environment, nutrition, drug abuse, and gender-based violence among others that hinder their development.
Poverty is the biggest challenge that affects many children in rural settlements. For example, when families are struggling to sustain themselves, most children find it hard to continue with their education and often drop out and start working to earn a living since they cannot afford school fees while those who attend school under such conditions find it difficult to concentrate on their academics which leads to poor performance.
Children, who grow up in harsh emotional environments, tend to struggle in adulthood and are often unable to form meaningful relationships as they grow up.
Poorly resolved conflict among the parents and other family members expose children to behavioral and academic problems that, if left unchecked, can have long-term results. Children from families where there is constant conflict or experience or witness acts of violence grow up mentally disturbed. Some of them find themselves participating in these conflicts physically and in most cases, this is a response to an innate need to find meaning and belonging.
John (not his real name) a learner at one of our schools, is an example of children who have been affected by family conflict. His grandfather put their house on fire, and this left him and his siblings traumatized. To add salt to the pain, he was diagnosed with cancer.
In this community, children are also sexually abused by their relatives, parents, and people surrounding them. Some of them are sodomized, raped while others are forced to get married early. Sexually abused children experience and display a range of emotions including depression, angry outbursts, or withdrawal as a way of dealing with the trauma.
A study done in Vihiga shows that one in ten children is sexually abused before they attain 18 years. 30% of children are abused by family members, and as many as 60% are abused by people whom the family trusts. About 35% of victims are 11 years old or younger.
Early pregnancies are also another factor that contributes to the development of children. In Vihiga County, these children are forced to live with their grandparents who are also struggling to make ends meet. These children, to cater to basic needs like food and sanitary towels, are often taken advantage of by people in the society meant to protect and provide for them. Due to the abject poverty in the family, the child is forced to drop out of school to look after her young child. Such situations become even dire when the family is infected by jiggers and is unable to fend for themselves anymore.
From research conducted in Vihiga County, the growth and development of children from many families has been affected due to nutrition or a lack thereof.
A child with good health performs better in their academics compared to a child with poor health. Most families struggle with providing a balanced diet for their children while surviving on one meal a day. Sadly, some families even go for days without having a meal.
Winston (not his real name) is a child who is staying with their grandmother, being unable to afford daily meals, makes him go to school without eating anything. This has affected his physical and mental health (poor concentration in class and getting to school late). The school through its feeding program organized for him to get a hot cup of porridge at 10 o’clock and a plate of food during the lunch break. Inua Village to Global Foundation developed the feeding program to ensure learners attend school regularly attend class.
In conclusion, child abuse, early pregnancies, poverty, and poor nutrition are factors that affect children in our community, it is therefore, our mandate to ensure that we hold hands to protect children’s rights and organize forums where community members can come and learn. By doing this, we will ensure that our children are exposed to their rights and how to protect themselves.
We also call upon children’s welfare organizations to step up and take the lead in rehabilitating children in school and the community. We also urge all community members to reinforce the laws that will make sure all the rights of a child are well protected