"Edith"

Edith is one of the youngest ladies at the safe house. At just sixteen years old, she can tell her story confidently, as she knows it will help her heal. When she was fifteen, she lived in a village in Naivasha with her grandmother. She was sweeping outside of her home when a man she knew from the town asked if she wanted a cup of water. She agreed and entered to take the cup. When Edith entered, he grabbed her and forced her to the floor. He raped her and then fled. Before he left, he told her that if she told anyone, he would kill her.

Edith feared for her life and said nothing about the experience.

After some time, Edith realized she was pregnant and did her best to hide this from everyone. It was not before long that other people in her small village discovered the truth. Edith attempted to take cow medicine to get rid of the baby, but as she was in the middle of the act, her grandmother caught her. She immediately began screaming at Edith before she even had the chance to clarify what had happened. After her grandma calmed down, she demanded an explanation, and Edith told her while choking back tears.

The two of them went down to the police station, and Edith was able to tell her story. She says that they have not seen or found the man who did this to her. Because the man lived in her village, the police contacted his family, and they attempted to help Edith and her family. They said they would take care of the baby once it was born, but Edith’s grandmother refused to let them. Edith said that at the moment, she would have liked their help, but now she does not want anything to do with this family, as she wants to move on from the experience. When Edith spoke to me, she said she believes this person has raped other women and hopes he is held responsible for his actions.

Her grandmother took her to the children’s center, where they met someone who offered to help put Edith in a shelter as she needed to heal. Her grandmother also wanted her to be safe. This person connected Edith and her grandmother to the shelter, and she has now been here for eleven months. Edith expressed how freeing the safe house has been, as she has heard many similar stories. She and her aunt are the only two young people living in their village, and it is nice being around people who are her age and understand her. She loves to spend time baking, cooking and learning about skills that will help her after leaving. She also has found a love for beading. Her passion has always been cooking, and she hopes to take a catering course to get a job in this profession once she leaves. She loves her daughter very much and knows that while this experience has forced her into adulthood, she feels ready to provide for her child on her own.