Maisha Girls

Violence and rapes of young girls is a huge issue in Kenya. Thirteen million girls between the age of fifteen and nineteen have been raped but less than ten percent receive help. Four out of ten women experience domestic violence during their lifetime. In general these numbers are suggesting that this is an increasing problem.

The girls from the Maisha Girls Safe House come from the slums of Nairobi and the majority has been abused by family or closely related men. Therefore, the girls are not safe in their own homes. Because of shame and exclusion their families will do whatever it takes to prevent the truth from coming out so the girls are fearing for the consequences and fearing for their lives. In the safe house they can process their traumas and hopefully begin recovering with hopes and dreams for the future. In many cases the girls get pregnant with their rapist and are forced to leave school and be a mother at a very young age. The girls are hoping that the next generation won’t have to go through the same abuse and suffering and that is why they are stepping forward and why they are fighting.

I started my work in January and my plan is to return so I can get further into the story. I have good contacts with doctors at the hospitals, street workers who work in the slums and the local police, who all want to give me access and help me further with the project.