African Children Are Being Forced Into Adulthood Early

We all know the story of the Good Samaritan from our Sunday school days, if we were attentive on those cold Sunday mornings that our parents dragged us to church. Then we were innocent starry eyed children believing that there were some good in every one, we admired adults and saw them as demi-gods who would do no wrong and our little minds fell for what they said hook and sinker. I remember the games we played acting or rather imitating our parents I particularly liked playing the role of mother as I painted my little face with her make up and wore her obviously oversized shoes, oh how I longed to be an adult and live in their world of going to work, tending to kids and giving orders.

I wonder if the Kenyan child today still holds these view especially if he/she bore the brunt of the post election violence. The media was keen on bringing images of the effect of the violence on children; our screens were filled with crying children, some clutching onto their grieving mothers, others looking hopelessly at the ashes that were once their homes; by showing these the media was trying to strike an emotional chord in us, hoping that we would put down our machetes and critically look at what we had turned into. Things are back to normal so they say, if normal is poverty, insecurity, diseases, traffic jams and unemployment.

But have we forgotten those children who are now orphans or homeless? Do we think of their emotional scars? its been said time and time again that children are our future and these words are becoming clichés because we as adults are fond of using them carelessly saying them only when we want to sound holier than mother Teresa. The plight of children of Africa has to be taken more seriously, African children are being forced into adulthood faster than they can say ‘school’. The child soldiers of Sudan and other warring communities take up arms faster than they can tell the difference between a girl and a boy. AIDS is making mothers and fathers out of ten year olds who have been left with the task of raising their siblings. Rape is robbing children of their innocence leaving them with scars and bitterness that they carry into adulthood. Child trafficking is making children loose their dignity as they become cheap commodities in the market place of perverted adults. Children are growing in an upside down world where adults are the monsters, if a child cant be left in the care of a male adult for fear of rape, who will the child look up to?

African governments are not doing enough to protect its children as injustices towards children still remain hidden and often go unreported this is according to all Africa.com an online African news organization. June 16th is the day of the African child a day set aside by the OAU to draw attention to the lives of African children, a day African governments should reflect on the needs, challenges and other aspects concerning child laws. I wonder if this day is observed with the seriousness it deserves or is it another day to politic? Strict laws regarding children should be passed if we want a bright future for the African child. we have to hope and pray that Children that were victims of the post election violence and other atrocities committed by ‘adults’ do not grow with bitterness and hatred in their hearts, how we do this I do not know. But being the responsible adults that we are we should strive to provide a much safer environment for the child to grow in. The good book says that Jesus laid down his life for his friends why not change the words to say that I — — — — -laid down my life for a child.

This story appeared in the Living magazine of Daily nation (a Kenyan newspaper)