By Marwa Benedicts
Despite mining sites serving as a significant source of income for many families, the cost is often
borne by the innocence and future prospects of young learners who find themselves toiling in
hazardous conditions of mining sites instead of attending school. In the community, parents
value their children’s employment at mining sites more than their education.
Considering the safety measures established by the Children’s Rights Act of 2022 and the
Kenyan Constitution 2010, some parents and other community members violates the legislations,
ignoring children’s rights to access education in favor of using school children as labor. This
violation not only goes against legal protections, but also sustains an endless loop of abuse that
hinders children from their fundamental right to access education and development.
As they explore employment, students on mining sites run serious hazards that endanger their
safety and wellbeing. Because they are in dangerous environments like poisonous chemicals and
unstable tunnels, they run the risk of accidents and long-term health consequences. This affect
their physical and emotional health, in spite of the attraction of instant money, highlights the
urgent need for measures to safeguard their rights and futures.
Aside from the constant risk of HIV/AIDS, mining communities have terrifyingly high rates of
teenage pregnancy and early child marriage. Families that are financially unstable often force
their girls into early marriages or exploit them, which worsens social problems and keeps them
imprisoned in cycles of poverty. These devastating results highlight how urgently comprehensive
measures are needed to protect the rights and well-being of young people who are at risk in
mining areas.
The significant effect of mining areas seriously messes with school-age children’s learning paths,
increasing the number of dropouts as they choose to pursue employment options instead. The
need for instant money frequently outweighs the long-term advantages of education, despite
international agreements and legal measures, which provides a pattern of exploitation and
poverty.
To address the fundamental root causes of this problem and ensure that every child has
the chance to pursue a meaningful and dignified future, urgent measures need to be taken.