Assessing the Effects of Child Labour on the Socio-Economic Life of Children in Mwea Tebere Irrigation Scheme, Kirinyaga County

Abstract

This study focused on child labour, which is a typical issue of concern in Kenya and beyond. More specifically, this study seeks to assess the socio-economic effects of child labour in Mwea Tebere irrigation scheme Kirinyaga County. The objectives for this study were to establish the factors that contribute to child labour, examine the effects of child labour, identify gaps in existing government policies; make recommendations needed to assist mitigate child labour among children in Mwea Tebere irrigation scheme. To achieve this, descriptive survey research design was employed, also close ended and open ended questionnaires , key informants interview guide tools were used to gather data from parents/guardians, key informants and children involved in child labor, they were all drawn from Mwea Tebere irrigation scheme. The study covered 164 respondents who were drawn using, a simple random and purposive sampling techniques. The collected data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches.The data was analyzed with the help of IBM SPSS and presented in simple frequencies and percentages, tables, figures and pie charts. Based on the study findings, the socio-economic factors that contributed to child labour were poverty, early marriage, illiteracy, corruption, harmful traditional cultures and HIV/AIDS. Commercial agriculture was reported to be the main sector that demands the use of child labour in Mwea Tebere irrigation scheme. It was also established that child labour is detrimental to the development of a child. The adverse effects of child labour were physical deterioration resulting from excessive fatigue, poor educational performance in school, increased number of school dropouts and perpetuating the poverty cycle. In conclusion, it was recommended that the national government comes up with a comprehensive child labour policy. This national child labour policy would enable county governments to tailor make interventions to best deal with the problem of child labour in respective counties. Sensitization campaigns need to be spearheaded by county governments and supported by civil society organizations to improve the levels of knowledge on the child labour policies, school feeding programs be adopted in all schools, fines and penalities for those parents that allowed their children to engage in labour. At the community level, the children should be engaged in constructive recreation activities during school holidays.