With their roots in the Coast, George Biff and Masha Mapenzi are the ideal champions for a project to eliminate Child Labour practices in Kenya’s most beautiful, yet poorest, district. When they agreed to lend their strengths as powerful communicators to both young and old, they brought innovative energy to the project.

Biff is a Producer for Royal Media Services (RMS), owners of radio and television outlets throughout Kenya and Morning Presenter for KUDZACHA Radio Show, Bahari FM, 94.2 on the Coast, owned by RMS. Mapenzi is a well-known African Gospel and Afro-fusion singer, awarded the Coast Awards – Diaspora Artist of the Year and Runner up Female Artist of the Year, both in 2010. Both spokespersons were born on the Coast, Biff in Kaloleni and Mapenzi in Watamu. They recently shared with SCOPE representatives their hopes and motivations in joining this important effort.

George Biff saw at least half of his fellow students sent off to work while still in Primary School in Kaloleni. “People used children to make money for themselves. The girls from primary school were sent to make money so their fathers would buy a drink and or marry another wife,” he said. “While the general rights of the child are now protected by law, people need to be better educated about those. Too many underage children in Kaloleni and Kilifi are still sent to work in the quarries, in the domestic circles and into other forms of child labour.”

Biff’s voice is heard by hundreds of thousands of Coastal and other parts of the country’s residents, on his daily morning broadcast on Bahari FM. Speaking in Kiswahili, as well as in the local Mijikenda languages, he is able to reach out with messages that sensitize the community, give hope to the children, and encouragement to their families. He has interviewed SCOPE representatives about Child Labour issues and the program to eliminate Child Labour on the Coast.

Masha Mapenzi sees her music as an avenue to be ambassador for the Coast. “I try to incorporate the language and the culture, to break down the stereotype that Coast people are lazy,” she said. She remembers her grandfather’s shamba in Kilifi where children came to work because their parents could not afford school fees. “My father would keep the money for them, so it would not be squandered by their parents, and later, buy their books and school uniforms, and pay their fees directly.”

Mapenzi appeared at the World Day Against Child Labour event in Tezo to speak to the thousands of children, their families, teachers and local leaders against Child Labour practices. She plans to partner with children to write songs to champion the effort to eradicate Child Labour throughout Kenya.

SCOPE Staff recently completed SCREAM training with teachers from Kilifi schools that are participating in the ILO/IPEC project being implemented by SCOPE to eliminate child labour in Kilifi County.

SCOPE’s Executive Director, Immanuel Kahaso, was one of the guest facilitators of the training. “SCREAM techniques and programs allow educators to move beyond the purely academic and intellectual, into the creative and emotional depths of the individual, deepening young people’s understanding of the issues and providing them with powerful tools of self-expression, he said, using art as an example. “The objective of Art is to pass a message. It stimulates artistic talents, as well as enhancing community awareness and education.”

Child Right Clubs (CRCs) have been formed at the five primary schools – Ngala, Zowerani, Tezo, Soyosoyo and Bahari – that are part of the project to end child labour. Led by the students, the clubs encourage children use visual and dramatic arts, music and other creative avenues to sensitize themselves and their communities about child labour issues and mobilize against the practice that is still quite prevalent throughout Kenya. Their innovative efforts were recently displayed at a rally in Tezo observing World Day Against Child Labour in conjunction with the International Day of the African Child.

“The Mentorship Project” is a SCOPE initiative which is geared towards bringing volunteers and interns with different professions and expertise from different fields to enhance cultural sensitivity and family management issues at household level as well as community level.

“In addition to giving the student real social engagement at the village level, the program was conceived to influence positive change for the host family, to help children with their education and provide a positive role model for the family,” according to Jasho Bomu, Technical Director and co-founder of SCOPE.  “The volunteer may also help the family improve their business practices and financial literacy to establish more successful income generating activities.”

When she first arrived in Vitengeni for her three month commitment, Sylvia wondered how she would survive. “The compound was filthy, the kids were shoe-less and dirty, and meals were limited to umena and ugali, not enough nutrition for growing children,” she said.  Family and friends helped scrub the compound clean and a new toilet was constructed.  Sylvia taught basic nutrition, as well as new recipes that added fruits and vegetables to their diet.  In addition to helping the seven children with their studies, she has taught the family about hygiene and health issues, such as HIV/AIDs, STDs and sexual issues. “They accepted me as their own,” she says, “and I will be sad to leave. While they have very little, they find joy in every day.”

SCOPE has 36 families in the district who would welcome a student volunteer for a minimum three-moth commitment.  Volunteers pay a nominal fee to help offset the host family costs of feeding and housing the student, as well as SCOPE administrative costs.  For more information, contact SCOPE.