SPEECH BY HER EXCELLENCY MARGARET KENYATTA THE

FIRST LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA DURING THE

LAUNCH OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LADY SPOUSES
ASSOCIATION
OF
KENYA
(NALSA)
MENTORSHIP
PROGRAMME AT SAFARI PARK HOTEL, NAOIROBI ON APRIL
14, 2016
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening,
I am proud to be here this evening to launch National
Assembly Ladies Spouses Association of Kenya -NALSA-Ks
school mentorship program.
Today, we come together as mothers and Kenyans. As
citizens, we are constitutionally bound to protect, preserve
and advance our shared community. As mothers, our
consciences compel us to cultivate the best in our
children, to mentor them and to prepare them to
effectively steward the world we leave them.
Fortunately, as citizens and as mothers, we live in exciting
times. Our society is younger than ever and that
youthfulness brings with it opportunityfor our society, for
our country and for our continent. With the right
investment, we can raise a generation of change makers:
a generation of inventors, innovators, problem solvers,
peacemakers, faithful wives, noble husbands, wise
mothers
and
dutiful
fathers.
Unfortunately, as mothers and citizens we also live in
uniquely challenging times. More and more of our
childrens futures are being compromised. Substance
abuse, sexual promiscuity, vulgarity and violence all eat
away at our childrens lives. Many have been rendered
insecure in their quest for media-defined ideals. Many lack
a moral compass or ethical backbone and they lack
positive role models. Sometimes, we parents lay too much
emphasis on academic studies, and pay little attention to
building virtues that will mould our children.

We need to lay greater emphasis on the virtues of

integrity, spirituality, patriotism and hard work. These
build strong character.
As Africans, it is our understanding that it takes a village
to raise a child. NALSA-K will not replace teachers, who
patiently go beyond the call of duty, and care for the
welfare of our children. NALSA-K cannot replace the work
that we parents must do to support our children: setting
the right example for them to follow and the right
environment for them to thrive.
NALSAs school mentorship program exists to bridge that
gap, and mitigate those problems.
It exists to provide children with the counselling, support,
and soft skills they need to succeed. It exists to nurture,
guide and develop young children, into strong citizens of
high moral standing and deep conviction.
I commend NALSA-K for their investment in this program
and I encourage all Kenyans to play their part in the work
of raising our children to grow into solid young adults.
As a mother, I implore all Kenyan parents to embrace the
difficult, challenging but highly rewarding work, of
parenting. I urge you to care not just about your children
mindsbut about their hearts, and their souls. I urge you
to care not just about what they are becoming in life but
to also care about who they are becoming tooas friends,
as citizens and as human beings. I urge all Kenyans to
pursue the holistic development of their children.
I thank NALSA-K for taking a bold step in mentoring our
children. They join other youth initiatives that seek to
build our childrens character, and I hope we can all learn
and share our experiences to ensure we succeed. This job
requires collective partnerships and commitment, it
cannot be the sole responsibility of parents, teachers or
the church. But parents must lead, and I hope and trust
that more parents across the country, will join in this noble
effort.

It is now my pleasant duty to declare the NALSA (K)'s ITS

COOL TO SAY NO! School Mentorship Program officially
launched.
Thank you very much for your attention.