As a child, I suffered impact from living in poverty, worsened by cultural beliefs and a very violent traditional father who made me question my existence. Throughout my teens and in my early twenties, as a result of trauma, my mental health and well-being were left in near darkness, which would greatly influence my view of the world.
I left high school with solid grades, but sadly they were overshadowed by my growing struggles of shame and guilt. At 17 years, I dreamt of going to college, but being a woman in the society where I lived, It was expected of me to get married and do menial jobs to earn a living. Hence I had to dream alone, I left for Nairobi city searching for education, but instead, I was raped. Soon after, I realized I was pregnant. My society accused me of promiscuity- the consequences of not following social set guidelines.
I washed people’s laundry, cleaned houses, fetched water at roadside car washes to feed my child, and save some money for college. Somehow after four years of hard work, I saved $15 and enrolled at the Kenya Polytechnic School. With the help of my mother, a tea farmer in the village, and well-wishers, I defined all odds and emerged top of my class with Distinction in Counseling Psychology.
I was forced to look deep within myself, and this is when my life began to change. I started to accept that I needed help sharing my trauma and becoming a loving mother to my son.
I began dreaming of supporting survivors of sexual violence and helping them see the beauty in their brokenness. I now dream of a better future, a better world of educated and empowered girls, where we can change narratives around us from vulnerable to powerful agents of change!
I share my life with girls and women who are hurting as I did. I welcome them into my world and assure them that they are not alone and can be victorious again despite challenges.
My goal is to equip girls to pursue their educational dreams to make a transformative impact and have hope for the future, and to empower the community to strengthen favorable social norms, attitudes, and behaviors to prevent violence and uptake essential justice measures for survivors.