Assessment of the contribution of the Anglican church in addressing the boy child crisis in the diocese of Embu, kenya

Abstract

Leaders from Embu County have raised red flags over the diminishing numbers of boys in some schools and involvement in crime as well as drug abuse. Within the Anglican Church of Kenya, Diocese of Embu boy child is rated behind in education, a situation that might lead to lack of male leadership in future. This has translated to gender imbalances at higher educational levels which in turns hinders social mobility. The impact of this neglect on the boy child’s life is that; some have dropped out of school leading to high number of uneducated boys, others have joined outlawed sects, others have engaged into drugs and substance abuse, violence, manipulation by politicians in electioneering period among other criminal activities. The Church as a social institution is mandated to bridge gaps within the society. The purpose of this research was to access the ways in which the Anglican Church Diocese of Embu can address the boy child crisis. The objectives of the study were: to establish the nature and extent of boy child crisis in the Anglican Diocese of Embu; to investigate why there were no programs within the Anglican Church Diocese of Embu addressing the boy child crisis, and finally to suggest ways in which the Anglican Church Diocese of Embu can address the boy child crisis. This study was significant because it addressed the plight of the boys in Church and society. The study also contributed in the field of sociology of religion because it dealt with the role of religion in society. It adopted Structural Functionalism theory which addresses social interactions and relationships, and their role on development and growth of human beings in the society. The study employed cross sectional descriptive study design. The target population was 26108 men, women and boy child in ACK Churches in the Diocese of Embu. The study involved 50 Churches stratified into 7 archdeaconries and a sample of 254 men and women, and 73 boy child selected by Stratified Proportionate random sampling. The researcher purposively selected 21 Clergy and 35 Church elders. The total sample size for the study was 383 respondents, and questionnaires, interview schedules and focus group discussions were used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used to analyze the data. Analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 26.0 computer software for Windows and then presented it in form of tables and charts form. The findings highlighted various challenges faced by boys, including risky sexual behaviors, involvement in crime, domestic violence, economic hardships, and mental health issues. Gender disparities in education contributed to lower academic performance and increased vulnerability. Barriers such as insufficient mobilization, financial constraints, lack of skilled personnel, and community reluctance towards church programs limited effective intervention. Additionally, pastoral efforts in schools and boy child-focused seminars showed promise. The study recommended enhancing community engagement and passion for the well-being of boys, along with further research on societal pressures, training needs for crisis management, and spiritual development.