Between January 2025 and March 2026, Kenya recorded more than 10,500 cases of missing, kidnapped, or abandoned children, according to official data. Families live in constant fear, especially when minors walk alone to school or are at home without supervision. Citizens demand more surveillance and rapid reporting, but the child protection system appears fragile and with little response capacity.
Tracking systems and alerts: can technology help? 📡
Faced with this crisis, some voices propose using GPS bracelets or geolocation applications on school uniforms. Early warning systems via SMS, similar to those used in other countries to locate minors within hours, are also being considered. However, network infrastructure in rural areas is limited, and the cost of these devices is high for many families. Without public investment, technology alone does not solve the underlying problem.
Grandma's homemade trick: tying the child to the lamppost 🧶
Since the government shows no signs of life and apps are expensive, some parents have returned to old-fashioned methods: tying children to the lamppost with a clothesline. Of course, as long as the post is not already occupied by another child. The idea is simple: if they can't walk, they don't get lost. The downside is that they then have to be untied to go to the bathroom, and that's where the chaos begins again.