{"id":930,"date":"2026-09-29T19:08:33","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T19:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/?p=930"},"modified":"2026-09-29T19:08:33","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T19:08:33","slug":"the-gospel-continues-baridi-kwa-baridi-takes-the-triple-threat-conversation-to-st-michael-buyende","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/2026\/09\/29\/the-gospel-continues-baridi-kwa-baridi-takes-the-triple-threat-conversation-to-st-michael-buyende\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gospel Continues: Baridi Kwa Baridi Takes the Triple Threat Conversation to St. Michael Buyende"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bukhayo West, Busia County | 28 September 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n
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On 28 September 2026, Baridi Kwa Baridi Women CBO extended its community outreach to St. Michael Buyende Junior and Senior School in Bukhayo West, where the team engaged learners in an open conversation on the realities surrounding the Triple Threat: HIV, teenage pregnancy and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visit was not simply about speaking to learners. It was an opportunity to listen, understand the challenges affecting their education and wellbeing, and remind them that their choices, safety and future matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The engagement brought together learners from different levels of the school, including those transitioning through upper primary and secondary education. The school’s enrolment currently stands at approximately 85 learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When education is competing with other pressures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During discussions with the school administration, Principal Charles Masakhalia highlighted several challenges affecting learners’ participation and progression in education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the concerns raised was parental involvement and supervision. The school is seeing cases where children are living with grandparents or other caregivers, while some parents have delegated their parenting responsibilities to relatives or other people who may not be able to provide the guidance and supervision children need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The school also reported cases of parental separation and family discord, with some children left living with limited adult supervision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These circumstances can have consequences beyond the home. The school has observed absenteeism, school dropout and disengagement from education, particularly where learners lack consistent parental support and guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The school administration further noted that some parents are able to meet school-related costs but do not always prioritise education, while some learners increasingly place value on immediate material benefits and consumer goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rise of access to mobile phones and digital platforms was also identified as an emerging challenge when not accompanied by adequate parental guidance and responsible use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teenage pregnancy and early marriage remain a concern<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Teenage pregnancy, according to the school, is not an unfamiliar challenge in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The school has experienced cases of teenage pregnancy, early marriage and prolonged absenteeism among learners. The administration also raised concern about unsafe and illegal attempts to terminate pregnancies, underscoring the need for young people to have accurate information, supportive adults and access to appropriate services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These challenges can interrupt education and place adolescents at increased risk of further vulnerability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Baridi Kwa Baridi, the conversation reinforced an important message: preventing the Triple Threat cannot be separated from keeping children in school, strengthening families and ensuring that adolescents have trusted adults they can turn to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helping learners recognise risk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the engagement, the Baridi Kwa Baridi team encouraged learners to think critically about the decisions they make and the situations they find themselves in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The organisation’s counsellor\/field officer spoke to the learners about the risks associated with accepting gifts, money and other “freebies” from people who may expect something in return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversation helped learners understand that a gift is not always harmless. What may appear to be kindness or financial support can sometimes become a pathway to manipulation, exploitation or pressure into sexual relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The learners were also encouraged to recognise the warning signs around teenage pregnancy, unsafe relationships, sexual exploitation and SGBV, while understanding the importance of seeking help from trusted adults and appropriate support systems when they feel unsafe or pressured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The message was bigger than one school<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The engagement at St. Michael Buyende forms part of Baridi Kwa Baridi’s continued grassroots work to strengthen awareness and prevention around issues affecting children and adolescents across Busia County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the organisation, community engagement is most meaningful when it goes beyond delivering messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It means listening to schools, understanding what families are experiencing, identifying gaps in protection and creating spaces where young people can ask questions without fear or judgement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The challenges shared by St. Michael Buyende also point to the need for stronger collaboration between schools, parents, caregivers, community organisations, government actors and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children need more than a classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They need adults who are present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They need families that listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They need safe schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They need accurate information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They need protection from exploitation and violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And they need opportunities to believe that education is worth staying for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Baridi Kwa Baridi continues its community outreach across Bukhayo West, one message remains constant:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Protect the child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep the girl in school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strengthen the family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Break the silence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prevent the Triple Threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gospel continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bukhayo West, Busia County | 28 September 2026 On 28 September 2026, Baridi Kwa Baridi Women CBO extended its community outreach to St. Michael Buyende Junior and Senior School in Bukhayo West, where the team engaged learners in an open conversation on the realities surrounding the Triple Threat: HIV, teenage pregnancy and sexual and gender-based […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"saved_in_kubio":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=930"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/930\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":938,"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/930\/revisions\/938"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baridiwomen.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}