1 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: When Ka Kenya and Taia was growing up in a 2 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 1: Massai community in rural Kenya, it was rare for girls 3 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: like her to go to school beyond seventh grade. So 4 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: much has changed now. Growing up there was like like 5 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: it wasn't girls would go to school beyond primary school. 6 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: That was like, I'm pad of my best friend got 7 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: married when went sixth grade. A lot of my other 8 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: friends got to Maryland. They were in seventh grade and 9 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: by the time were in eighth grade, there was only 10 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: two girls. The boys used to tell us, what are 11 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: you still doing in this class? Ka Kenya stayed in 12 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 1: school because her mother pushed her too, and she eventually 13 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: got a scholarship to study at a university in the US. 14 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: She now runs her own ngeo Ka Kenya's Dream that 15 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: helps girls in her community stay in school and delay 16 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: marriage into adulthood. Because of organizations like hers and a 17 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: push from advocacy groups and the Kenyan government, girls enrollment 18 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: in secondary school has shut up. In the last years. 19 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: The rates of girls completing secondary school there have doubled, 20 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: according to data from the World Bank. That increases their 21 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: earning potential and the quality of their lives and their 22 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 1: children's lives. The country is well off when the women 23 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 1: are taken care of, and that woman starts from that 24 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: little girl, who you need to support, who you need 25 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 1: to protect, who we need to God. Then the pandemic hit, 26 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: shutting down schools and programs like Kenya's Dream. Kenya feared 27 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: that the lockdowns would threaten all that progress. For the 28 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: first time, the guests were sent home and to stay 29 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: for a very long time without event knowing when they 30 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: will come back. There was good reason to worry eight 31 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: years ago when schools closed for months at a time 32 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: during the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Girls there got 33 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 1: off track, and one of the main culprits was a 34 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: spike in teen pregnancy rates, which made it hard for 35 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,679 Speaker 1: many of them to finish school. When young girls have kids, 36 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: that has all sorts of knock on effects. They're less 37 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,959 Speaker 1: likely to find financial stability, and their children are less 38 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: likely to complete their schooling too. In March, it looked 39 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: like Kenya was headed down that path. They went back 40 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 1: to the homes that were not prepared to have goals. 41 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: Especially for us, we had gay in high school or 42 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: poy in college. Yet there was one small but crucial 43 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: thing that could potentially give someone like Ka Kenya some 44 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: hope during the Ebola crisis. Researchers found that those who 45 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 1: had participated in community based programs like Ka Kenya's Dream 46 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: that were focused on empowerment and sexual health before things 47 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: shut down, they were less likely to get pregnant during 48 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 1: lockdown and more likely to return to school when restrictions 49 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: were lifted. The pandemic would almost certainly set girls and 50 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: Kenya back. But is it possible because of people like 51 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: Kenya that they can recover just as quickly? Dobless claims 52 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: coming in, I mean really jumping from the week before, 53 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: pretty brutal. Three point to million records. Six point six 54 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: million Americans filed for unemployment last week and didn't working 55 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 1: women were the worst infected by the pandemic. We believe 56 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: that we are in facting one girl, one family, one village, 57 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: one country at the time. Well, now to the billionaire boom. 58 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: According to Bloombird, super yacht charters are up over three 59 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 1: d and a billionaire was created every twenty six I 60 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: was during this pandemic. No, I'm not waiting in line 61 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: for a COVID test with the public gross. It is 62 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: time for a wealth tax in America. We'll come back 63 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: to the paycheck. I'm Rebecca Greenfield. One of the good 64 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: news stories in the recent history of wealth inequality is 65 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: that globally, the gap between the richest and the poorest 66 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: has been closing. There are a few reasons for that, 67 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 1: but a big one that has pulled millions out of 68 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: poverty has been the push in developing nations to educate 69 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 1: young girls. Only half of the world's girls were enrolled 70 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: in school, but within two decades that proportion has risen 71 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: to two thirds. In many countries, the education gap between 72 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 1: girls and boys has closed entirely. The benefits have been many. 73 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: A girl born today will live on average, eight years 74 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 1: longer than one born years ago. Women with a secondary 75 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: education are more likely to delay marriage and plan their family, 76 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: and less likely to be stuck in an abusive relationship 77 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: and poverty. The pandemic on four sinately has been a 78 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 1: setback reaching gender parity. Acquainting the World Economic Forum has 79 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: been set back by a generation. They said would take 80 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: about hundred years before the pandemic to reach under parity. 81 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: Now it's a generation on from that's about hundred and 82 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 1: thirty five years. That's Namil Ahmed a strategist at Oxfam International, 83 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: global poverty nonprofit. While we've seen women in many countries 84 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 1: face also this second pandemic of increased gender based violence, 85 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: of this mountain of care work, as ever that the 86 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: shock absorbers really of crisis. One place that has been 87 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 1: hit particularly hard is Kenya because of its high poverty 88 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 1: rate and fragile healthcare system. The country had one of 89 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:42,039 Speaker 1: the harshest responses to the virus. Schools were closed through January. 90 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: There were curfews, travel bands, and area specific lockdowns that 91 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,719 Speaker 1: helped keep infection rates low, but it resulted in greater 92 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: food and security, more domestic violence, and high unemployment. In 93 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: some ways, girls have felt it the hardest. Earlier this year, 94 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:05,159 Speaker 1: journalist Jill Filipovic published a troubling story in Bloomberg Business 95 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 1: Week magazine. She profiled girls who had big dreams, but 96 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 1: they were struggling with new realities filled with more violence, hunger, poverty, 97 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: and sometimes new babies of their own to care for. 98 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: But the stories of their lives didn't end there. With 99 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: COVID restrictions lifting and the global economy inching its way 100 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: to recovery, we asked her to return to Kenya's capital 101 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: Nairobi to see how some of those girls were faring. 102 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: Now here she is with the story. Meet Esther, an 103 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: eighteen year old girl living in Nairobi. She had dreams 104 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: of becoming a newscaster, and before the pandemic she was 105 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: on track. She was in Form one, the equivalent of 106 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 1: ninth grade, and if she graduated in three years as planned, 107 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: she would have been the first girl in her family 108 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 1: to finish secondary school. We've changed Esther's name here to 109 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: protect her privacy. I want to become one delay Victoria Ubady, 110 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: like so many ancles like I feel so good when 111 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: they're just presenting, especially when they're talking English, like I 112 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: admire that. Like I want to make someone that can 113 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: give other people inspiration, tell them that I was like 114 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: this and they have walked through this darkest time, heaviest time, 115 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: and still today and strong and I'm able to love. Then, 116 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: the COVID lockdowns in March left Esther stuck at home 117 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: and out of school in a small, crowded house in 118 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: what can be a tough neighborhood. Estra's mother had never 119 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: been particularly stable, but the pandemic pushed her stress levels 120 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: to new highs, and she began badly abusing her daughter. 121 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: It wasn't so good for me and my mom at home. 122 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: Sometimes we didn't understand each other. We had quarrels over 123 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: small things. My mom chegged me away. She would send 124 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: me away off like great out of myself. So it 125 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 1: was like I was trying to look for safety players 126 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: we can be. Esther's mom eventually kicked her out of 127 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: the house. At night, Esther would sleep in a nearby forest, 128 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: armed up with her boyfriend. By the time Esther realized 129 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: she was pregnant, she was several months along. Her boyfriend 130 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: was unsupportive, denying the baby was his. He left Esther 131 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: alone to carry and raise their child, who she gave 132 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: birth to in November. I'm just tired. Every will just 133 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:30,679 Speaker 1: go on crying, crying, crying, like I don't have anything 134 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: to do with my life. I just want to die. 135 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: Esther is far from an outlier. The u n f 136 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: p A, the United Nations Family Planning Arm, found that 137 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: a lack of access to contraceptives in low and middle 138 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 1: income countries during the pandemic resulted in one point for 139 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: a million unintended pregnancies. Well, pregnancies were already high among 140 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: girls and Kenya even before the pandemic. They shot up 141 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: for girls who were in second dairy school when COVID hit. 142 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: Compared to girls who sat for their final exams in nineteen, 143 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 1: those who were supposed to complete their schooling in were 144 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: twice as likely to become pregnant and three times as 145 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: likely to drop out of school entirely. But Esther also 146 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: had a stroke of luck. She lives in Cabara, a 147 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: large and vibrant low income neighborhood in Nairobi, and down 148 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: the road from her house is Project Alimu. Project Alimu 149 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: is a well regarded ballet school. It's cracked concrete walls 150 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 1: are painted in bright colors and hold up an uneven 151 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: tin roof. Inside, it's a festival of noise. The music 152 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: shifts from classical to afrobeats. Kids shriek and cackle, girls 153 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: flounced around, and the leggings and two twos. Esther isn't 154 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 1: a dancer, but at Project a Limu she found a 155 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: little help from Michael Michael Maya, I'm the founder of 156 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: Project to Lima, which is an after school program based 157 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: here in Cabra. So my main work is I teach dance, 158 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 1: but also I do a lot of mentorship and the 159 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: psyco social support to lots and lots of children in Cubra. 160 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: Michael plays a big role in his Caberra community project. 161 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: A Limu trains dozens of dancers and here students have 162 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 1: a safe space away from the stressors at home. When 163 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: they come to project. To Limu, they can get something 164 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: to eat, girls can find sanitary pads, and children who 165 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 1: come here have the chance to play, to be kids 166 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: and to hear that they're important. During the early days 167 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: of the pandemic, project a Limu had to shut down. 168 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 1: It's funding also dried up as donors redirected their money 169 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: to COVID relief. With COVID, it was so big because 170 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 1: the problem was the schools had all shut down, and 171 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,959 Speaker 1: a lot of support that all these girls get comes 172 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: from their schooling and a lot of per education, a 173 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 1: lot of psycho social support, a lot of food for instance, 174 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: and then also just a place that they would just 175 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: be girls. In Kenya, schools are were most low income 176 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: kids get their most consistent meal of the day. Most 177 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: households like internet access, making online learning close to impossible, 178 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: and when schools closed, kids were thrust into difficult living 179 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: situations with parents who are out of work and highly stressed. 180 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 1: You know, when there's less money in a household, and 181 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: houses saw it growing up in my own family. When 182 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: there's less money and there's high demand of food, there's stress. 183 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: And when there is stress, it leads to violence because 184 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: we don't have other ways of handling our stress if 185 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: it's not violence, And so there was a lot of 186 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: domestic violence cases. There was also a lot of sexual 187 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: abuse and young girls. Many teenage girls like Esther found attention, food, 188 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 1: and financial support from adult man, but a few of 189 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 1: them had learned much about sexual health and pregnancy prevention, 190 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 1: not to mention sexual consent, and many of these relationships 191 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: were fundamentally imbalanced between adolescent girls who needed basics like 192 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: sanitary pads, a few dollars for food and shelter, and 193 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 1: adult men who could make sex the price tag. So 194 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: when the girls grew they never got that parent to 195 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: support from their parents because their parents were also young 196 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: adults at that time when they were born, so they 197 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: never got enough time to learn about for instances, sexual 198 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: education to get to understand how to keep themselves safe. 199 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: So you would find girls who are tricked into having 200 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: boyfriends at a very alle age, because then the boyfriends 201 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 1: would provide in majority of them. They see their moms 202 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: also stuck into relationships that are very toxic. So some 203 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: of the girls got pregnant unluckily, but we were able 204 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: to find a way in supporting the astro Found Refuge 205 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: and project a lever. Mike supported me from the time 206 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,680 Speaker 1: when I was five months pregnant. He told me, it 207 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 1: is not the end. You have big rocks, you have 208 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: big mountains, and you're a human being. People do make mistake, 209 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: but it is the same time you have understand yourself 210 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: and you want to be given another chance to go 211 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: back to school. And you're not afraid because I'm here 212 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: to mentor you. I'm here to tell you need to 213 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: study when you don't have to be the same that 214 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 1: you are. You don't need to be cheated by boys again. 215 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: You need to understand no matter how hard the situation is, 216 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: you need to focus. You don't need to fight people 217 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 1: to make them understand you. Yes, I don't need to 218 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: fight with my mom to understand me because it is 219 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: my mistake and I need to correct my mistake by myself. 220 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 1: No one should judge me by my mistake. Because they 221 00:13:50,360 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: don't know my goodness. Like Michael, Florence mcgeary works with 222 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: adolescence in an informal Nairobi settlement. Along with some friends, 223 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 1: she founded the organization l E S, Lead, Educate and Succeed, 224 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: which provides local adolescent girls with information about sexual health, 225 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: pushes them to assert themselves and encourages them to dream 226 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: big for their futures. Since Corona had to strike like 227 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: the whole country, not only in Kenya, we saw that 228 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: it's nice to have a discussion with the young people 229 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: because those high rate of pregnancy in Kenya, because of 230 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: the idleness of the young people. I sat in on 231 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 1: a session Florence and her fellow educators held with some 232 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: two dozen girls about sexual health. Florence says parents are 233 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: grateful for her classes because kids are are always comfortable 234 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: talking to them about sex and parents aren't always comfortable 235 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: talking to their kids about sex either. They're not going 236 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: to school and all the people that are taking advantage 237 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: of them of their naivety, and then it was there 238 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: was cassity of food, the parents were not working, so 239 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: it was like kind of kills, but it's quiet kills. Now. 240 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: Schools and community programs are open again, but many adults 241 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: don't have their jobs back or badly in debt, which 242 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: means they can't afford to pay the school fees that 243 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: are a fixture in many African countries, and we're a 244 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: barrier to education even before the pandemic. There's so many 245 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: family school not of food. And the good thing is 246 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: that the government was like, no, you need to open 247 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: up the school for every kid to come. That was 248 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: the case for Evelyn, who I met last year and 249 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: then caught up with again on my recent trip to Kenya. 250 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: Evelyn lost her job in March and still hasn't returned 251 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: to a formal workplace, although she does small jobs around 252 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: her neighborhood to make ends meet. When COVID hit shutdowns 253 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: closed school for her two kids, ten year old Blessing 254 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: and six year old Miguel, Evelyn did her best to 255 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: teach them at home, going over the alphabet with Miguel 256 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: and quizzing Blessing on her English. When schools finally reopened 257 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: in January one, though Evelyn still wasn't back to work 258 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: and didn't have the money to pay for her kids 259 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 1: to re enroll. She takes home roughly nine d Kenyan 260 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: shillings a week, which amounts to less than eight U 261 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: S dollars, not enough to cover school fees. It hurt, 262 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: but since I didn't have that cash to take them 263 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: back to school. Luckily, the schools let her kids come back. 264 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: Even though Evelyn was still in arrears. Back in school, 265 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: Blessing is excelling. She had the highest marks in her 266 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: class this term. Evelyn, who dropped out of high school 267 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: after getting pregnant, wants her daughter to go farther than 268 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: she did. Maybe, Evelyn says, Blessing will be a doctor someday. 269 00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 1: You know, for me, I didn't reach that level. I 270 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 1: gave birth when I was informed too. So for my 271 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:11,679 Speaker 1: kids I want them to to go higher than me 272 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: so that they can have a better future. For Blessing, 273 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: she's a great girl, so I can't afford to miss 274 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: with her life. And for girls who end up pregnant, 275 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,360 Speaker 1: school fees aren't the only hurdle. Even though Kenyan law 276 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: entitles teenage mothers to an education, there's still a tremendous 277 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 1: stigma attached to youth pregnancy. A girl's parents may decide 278 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: not to pay for her schooling. She may not have 279 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: anyone to watch her child while she learns, and even 280 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: if she overcomes those challenges and gets into a classroom, 281 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: she may face bullying by her peers and even her teachers. 282 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: Some schools who are not fully embracing gods who have 283 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:58,679 Speaker 1: given birth, there's a lot of stigma when you go 284 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 1: back to school as a young mother. They always talk 285 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 1: of people who just went out to have sex and 286 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: came back with babies. Instead of designing the school to 287 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: be a safe space for these girls, it became a 288 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: place that they did not feel comfortable. The result is 289 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 1: that girls who enter into motherhood early are subject to 290 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: the whims of the adults around them and are often 291 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 1: only able to complete their schooling if they're very lucky 292 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: and if they have someone with a little power advocating 293 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: for them. It gets so hard for them, so they 294 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: weren't out sometimes, but we try to encourage them as 295 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,119 Speaker 1: much as we can to have them just back in school. 296 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: We decided to redesign our approach whereby if you were 297 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 1: unlucky and you got pregnant, we still embrace you as 298 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:52,880 Speaker 1: one of us, and we were able to find help 299 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,880 Speaker 1: for them. We find a way of getting proper medical 300 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:01,400 Speaker 1: support and then also using the network within our parents, 301 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 1: because we have parents who how do you call them? 302 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: Community health volunteers and they're very good with pre natural 303 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: care and after you've given bath, they will help you. 304 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: After being out for a year, Esther is finally back 305 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 1: in school and helping to graduate. After that, she says 306 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,360 Speaker 1: she wants to start her own business so she can 307 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: provide for herself and her son. For me, I see lights, 308 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 1: I see like I'm going to that moon that I wanted. 309 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:31,920 Speaker 1: But now I feel so good because I have Mike 310 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 1: support and he told me to go back to school. 311 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: I feel so proud because it is like I'm making 312 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 1: a step, like I want to become that person that 313 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: I wanted to become in life. Make this said, know 314 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 1: that I don't need to prove them wrong. I need 315 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 1: to prove myself from that no matter what they did 316 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,479 Speaker 1: to me, still able to raise my son on my 317 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 1: own and do a better job that can make my 318 00:19:55,680 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 1: family get out of this this place because it's not 319 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 1: a good list for all of us. This is a 320 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 1: crucial moment, not just for women and girls, but for 321 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 1: the well being of entire nations. National economies will grow 322 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: or shrink depending on women's ability to get an education, 323 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:26,360 Speaker 1: work and plan their families. Next week on the Paycheck, 324 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: we had to a part of the world that's on 325 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: uptick and marriage during the pandemic. But it wasn't all 326 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 1: joyful celebrations, girls objective. Many of the girls that didn't 327 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,199 Speaker 1: want it to get married. But when we try to 328 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 1: stop even the community people, they said, by you, people 329 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: are dropping, let it happen. Thanks for listening to The Paycheck. 330 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,119 Speaker 1: If you like our show, please head on over to 331 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts to rate, 332 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 1: review and subscribe. This episode was hosted by Me Rebecca 333 00:20:56,240 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: Greenfield and reported by a Jail Filipovic. It was edited 334 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 1: by Danielle Balbi with help from Francesca Levi, Janet Paskin 335 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: Rocksheeta Saluja and Me. We also had editing help from 336 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: Shelley Banjo, Kristin v. Brown, Gilda to Carly, Nicole Flato, 337 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: Elissa McDonald, and Kai Schultz. This episode was produced by 338 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:19,679 Speaker 1: Gilda to Carly and sound engineered by Matt him. Our 339 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: original music is by Leo Sidron. Special thanks to Magnus Hendrickson, 340 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 1: Margaret Sutherland, Stacy Wong, and Aisha Diallo. Francesca Levi is 341 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: Bloomberg's head of podcasts. See you next week.