"Elinah"

Elinah's story starts while working as a house girl in Nairobi. In 2021, she moved back to her mother's place in Naivasha because her mother wanted her to come and help her with the family business of selling fish. While she was here, she met a man and got into a relationship with him. Her mother always told her that if she were to get pregnant, it would affect their family, as she could not provide for everyone. When Elinah did discover that she was pregnant, she felt an immense amount of guilt and shame. When I asked her about her relationship, she said that she did not love the person she was with but felt pressured to have sex since they were together. She never wanted to marry this man or get pregnant with his child. She never filed a police report, as she was above 18 and didn't think anyone would believe her if she did share her experiences.

Elinah kept her pregnancy a secret while living at home. When she went into labor, she took herself to the hospital and gave birth alone. While in the hospital, she changed her name so that her family would not find her. When asked why, she said that she felt her pregnancy was a burden, and she did not want anyone to feel like they had to take care of her child. She stayed in the hospital for one month as the staff tried to search for her family. When she was adamant that she did not want to see her family, they connected her with those at the shelter.

Elinah was always dedicated to her studies, and she felt additional shame and guilt because she could not continue with her studies after form 4. While at the shelter, she's obtained a business certificate from EBU, and she hopes to use this and build upon it. Ever since she can remember, her dream has been to become a journalist, and she hopes to pursue this endeavor soon.

Elinah believes that the most significant way to evoke changes surrounding violence against women in communities is to raise awareness. Schools should emphasize these topics in their curriculum, but she also believes that community spaces like churches should discuss these issues.

Living at the safe house has been empowering as she has been able to relate to her community. She also has become more knowledgeable on sexual violence and mental health topics, and now, she feels as though no one will take advantage of her again. While she regrets the relationship, she is also happy that she has found shelter for herself and her baby. Elinah says that being at the safe house is a true blessing in the eight months she has been here.