- Being a parent has its challenges; however, being a teen parent with no source of income is worse
- Kenyan youth have spoken up about the circumstances that led to their being teen parents
- They said this was mostly out of peer pressure; others said it was infatuation, not love
Kenyan youth have opened up about their struggles after becoming parents while still in their teen years.
Wairimu Susan and Okello Isaac said they started engaging in unprotected sex in their teens due to peer pressure.
Speaking to Lynn Ngugi at TUKO Talks, the youth said it was difficult to accept that they were about to become parents.
At 21 years, Isaac is a father of a three-year-old daughter. He said he and his baby mama became pregnant when they were just in Form Two.
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He said he was only 17 years when he got a girl pregnant.
"Telling my parents was the hardest thing, I did not know where to start, but it had to be done," he said.
After getting his Form Two girlfriend pregnant, she dropped out of school to take care of the child and later rejoined school.
According to Isaac, it was after discovering that the girl was pregnant that he then found out he did not really love her. He said it was just infatuation.
Susan is a mother to a four-year-old daughter. She got pregnant at 17 and was still in high school.
"I met a 25-year-old man while at my aunt's place. We exchanged numbers and began talking. During midterm, we met again and he took me to his place where I spent the night," she recalled.
Susan discovered she was pregnant two months later. She spoke to her aunt and requested her to talk to her mom about it.
Susan's mom decided that her daughter would continue with her education while still pregnant.
She eventually went into labour amid her final exams.
"I gave birth and went back to school to finish my exams, just hours after delivery. It was not easy. I had to sit up for two hours while doing my exams," she said.
While in school, Susan endured snide comments and whispers from fellow students and teachers. She said that she had to be strong but would often break down in her bed alone.
Susan said the man went silent on her as soon as the baby was born, and she has never bothered him.
According to Mbuki Mbutu Sauti Sasa's National and county coordinator, teenage pregnancy is a big issue in Kenya.
"In fact Kenya is the third leading in the world so it is a serious issue," she said.
TUKO.co.ke recently highlighted the struggles of teen dads in Kenya.
Three young Kenyan men spoke out about their experiences as teenage fathers.
The three, Samuel Kanyari and Anthony Kuria, both 17 years old, and 19-year-old Paul Ngugi, were forced to take up these roles without a stable income.
Speaking to TUKO.co.ke's Phillip Momanyi, the trio said life has been very hard for them.
"I sometimes use my old t-shirts as diapers for my child because the money isn't even enough for food and diaper," Kuria said.