experiences of modern slavery

In this video, we present the full verson of an interview with David O Onyango, Assistant Chief of the South Kanyajuok Sub-Location. A taster of this interview was included in Part 1 of our ‘Community Stories’ documentary. This can be viewed in the menu link above. Here David reflects on his experiences as Area Chief and what they have taught him.

The interview covers child labour and early marriage as well as issues of domestic unrest. David suggests that these forms of slavery are rooted in poverty and often precipitated by the death of one or more parents leaving the orphaned children to fend for themselves or live with family members. Often the latter do not see them as family, regarding them instead as an inconvenience or an opportunity to be exploited. Such exploitation might take the form of domestic or farm labour, sexual predation/early marriage or an opportunity to sell the child to someone for such purposes. David considers the neglect such children often endure and their vulnerability to people who make kind gestures or give small tokens for food or other items. He explains how such acts seldom come without expectations and often at a price – often, sexual predation or to use his term, “defilement” – leading to domestic servitude, child pregnacy and early marriage.

David proposes that such relationships are often doomed to failure with one or both of the partners incapable of embracing the responsibilites that come with parenthood. The role and contribution of culture and its application is considered, The traditions of polygamy and early marriage through dowry (brideprice) are discussed and the way in which wife inheritance and polygamous marriage nowadays often results in people ‘marrying’ too early; behavioural changes as children are born; and immature men ‘trading in’ one wife for another. Leading to the inevitable result of some young men having 3 or 4 wives, all with children, and him neglecting them all – perpetuating the cycle of poverty driven slavery.

In the last part of the interview David discusses the significance of community stakeholders to these discussions. Community health workers (CHWs) in addressing the health and broader social needs of the local populace; “Nyumba kumi” – a government lead initiative whereby a group is formed, for every ten homes, with an elected ‘Chair’ (intended to assist people knowing their neighbours in communities which can be geographically dispersed); community policing and their role in tracing early marriage runaways and their wouldbe exploiters; and the important role played by the village elders in addressing such social pathologies.