by Mercy Gemini
Peer pressure has become a well-known social issue around the world, especially for teenagers. Teens who grow up comparing themselves to their friends are apt to be influenced by peer pressure, leading to negative effects in their daily behavior and judgment.
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| Innocent joined Ndoto in 2012 and currently needs a sponsor after her longtime sponsor had to step back. |
Innocent is a teenage girl in Obunga and is a beneficiary of the sponsorship program at Ndoto: For Africa’s Future. The 18-year-old is in 11th grade at Mutumbu Girls Secondary School, in Siaya County. After the Christmas season, the students returned to school, but this was not the case for Innocent. It was as if it took her a long time to realize that the holiday season was over. She was reluctant to prepare for school. She was still hanging out with friends from her village after school had already commenced. She also became defiant at home and changed her manner of dress. Her relationship with her mother was greatly affected. Having missed the first days of school, the school administrators put punitive measures on Innocent. She received a one-week suspension and was required to purchase some school supplies for her class, which her mother, a widow, could hardly afford.
As a result, the girl’s mother and the Ndoto staff organized a support session with Innocent and found out that the main cause of her behavioral problems was the kind of friends she kept at home, most of whom were not going to school. After a time of encouragement and guidance from the Ndoto staff, Innocent realized her mistakes and vowed to avoid the bad company, focus on her studies, and pursue her dream of higher education. She had come to the realization that changing her story had to start with her willingness to make bold decisions.
As a ministry, Ndoto is not only devoted to supporting vulnerable children through school, but also guiding them through an effective decision making and self-awareness process. This includes training on value-based life skills, which are critical for personal development, but most importantly by bringing them to the knowledge of the amazing love of Christ Jesus!
