World Bank’s Banga apologizes to kids sexually abused at Bridge schools

World Bank President Ajay Banga has apologized for the “trauma” experienced by children sexually abused at schools in Kenya supported by the bank’s private-sector arm, but has stopped short of offering them financial compensation.

In an email sent to all staff on Thursday, titled “Learning from Mistakes,” Banga admitted failings at the bank’s International Finance Corporation over its handling of the $13.5 million investment into Bridge International Academies, a for-profit chain of schools, and promised an independent investigation by an outside party.

“Any serious commitment to remedy must be designed in consultation with survivors,” Teresa Mutua, communities co-director at Accountability Counsel, which has been working with the Kenyan complainants, said in the same statement.

“A number of the girls have expressed clearly and plainly what remedy looks like to them. The fact that IFC has ignored them so far is a tragedy,” Mutua added.

Read the full article from Devex here.