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In Naivasha, Kenya, a 14-year-old girl's life ended tragically after she was suspended from her school.
This heartbreaking incident has sparked concerns and calls for action within the community.
The girl, a Form One student, was reportedly suspended along with a group of other girls from their public school.
The suspension was due to allegations that they were involved in a same-sex relationship, a situation that caused significant distress for the students involved.
The school administration had instructed that the suspended students undergo several counseling sessions before they could return to school.
However, the young girl found the situation unbearable. According to Joseph Mwai, an elder from the Kayole estate where the girl lived, she felt deeply ashamed and ridiculed because of the incident. This intense emotional turmoil led her to make the tragic decision to take her own life.
The girl’s grandmother discovered her hanging next to their house just hours before she was supposed to return to school. The grandmother, who lived with the girl, was devastated by the discovery.
Joseph Mwai expressed his concern over the increasing cases of suicide among students in Naivasha.
He pointed out that this is not an isolated incident and highlighted a similar case earlier in the year when a Grade Six pupil died by suicide after a disagreement with their parents.
The rising number of suicides among students in Naivasha is alarming. John Kinuthia, a member of the Naivasha Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cluster group, stated that the town had recorded over 15 cases of suicide since the beginning of the year.
Several of these cases involved students. The GBV cluster group has launched a campaign to encourage young people to speak out about their struggles and seek help.
In another unfortunate incident on the same day, a cyclist lost his life on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
The cyclist was with a colleague, heading towards Naivasha town from Kayole estate when a bus traveling in the same direction hit them from behind.
The impact caused one cyclist to fall onto the road, and the bus ran over him, leading to his death. The other cyclist was fortunate to escape with minor injuries. A witness, Amos Mwai, described the incident as horrifying.
Naivasha OCPD Stephen Kirui confirmed both incidents and mentioned that the bodies had been taken to the local mortuary.
The community is currently grappling with these tragedies and the broader issue of rising suicide rates among students.
Being suspended from school and subjected to ridicule can have devastating effects on a young person’s mental health.
This situation calls for a re-evaluation of how schools handle disciplinary issues, particularly those involving sensitive matters like sexual orientation.
The Naivasha community, along with groups like the GBV cluster, is actively working to address this crisis. Their efforts include launching campaigns to encourage young people to open up about their struggles and seek help when needed.
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