A Safe Haven For Abused Girls

A beacon of hope for some of our girls in need of safety

Across Kenya, a silent crisis unfolds every day—the abuse of young girls. Behind closed doors and within the shadows of poverty and inequality, countless girls endure unimaginable suffering. Amidst the darkness we aim to provide a small beacon of hope when this crisis affects our pupils. That’s a place where abused girls can escape from the shocking horrors that await them if they have to go home every day after school.

Understanding what the abuse crisis means

Our school takes in children from the poorest backgrounds, living in the worst parts of Bombolulu, itself an underprivileged suburb of Mombasa. Generally, that means they come from a home life of abject poverty and often go hungry. Some are surrounded by drug abuse. While many of their parents and guardians work hard and long hours to scrape a living and support their children, different forms of abuse, whether sexual or otherwise, are a fact of daily life for some of our young female pupils.
Research reveals the stark reality faced by young girls not only in Mombasa, but across Kenya and Africa.

The 2019 Violence Against Children Survey, implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social protection, found that 46% of 18- to 24 year-old women faced at least one type of violence – physical, emotional or sexual – during their childhood. Shockingly, it’s even higher for boys at 52%. Nearly one in six females experienced childhood sexual violence.

A huge number of abuse cases go unreported. Fear, stigma, and a lack of trust in the justice system means there is often nowhere to turn to. This sad situation comes from entrenched gender inequalities, being part of the culture. That means discrimination and violence against girls continues to go unpunished.

More importantly for the victims, it means the discrimination, violence and abuse just goes on.

It's basic but it's comfortable and it's a safe house and home

The role of safe houses

To combat the issue, safe houses have emerged as crucial lifelines for abused girls. In common with safe houses across Africa (and sadly in so many other countries across the world), we have aimed to create a haven to give physical shelter and a whole lot more. We work hard to create a safe and supportive environment where our girls can find help and hope when they need it most.

The safe house model in Bombolulu

We select our pupils on the basis that they come from a poor background where education may not otherwise be an option, and that they have worked hard in primary education. That may mean there is a good chance some of the girls will need some form of emotional support. Counselling for the children is made available and is widely used.

At our school, our safe house model is tailored to meet the unique needs of abused girls. With access to individual counselling and live-in support from female teachers, we aim to help the girls begin to heal and reclaim their dignity. As they are able to focus on their education, we aim to build their confidence to go out into the world and build a worthwhile career. You can read our complete safeguarding policy here.

The home is in a flat within walking distance of the school. There is a second adjacent flat where the two teachers who look after the safe house girls stay and provide meals from a small kitchen. The flats are small and basically furnished, but secure and homely. Using bunk beds to make the most of the space we can accommodate up to 8 girls at any one time.

All our teachers are also trained to look out for the signs of abuse, and we have a system and robust policy to take things further when it’s needed.

A massive thank you for support from a special individual

One of our supporters in the Netherlands has paid to completely set up and run the safehouse that currently houses five girls.

We can’t express enough thanks for this very kind donation that has already given these girls a vital escape from abusive backgrounds.

The plight of girls in Kenya

In Kenya, girls can face several layers of discrimination. Girls and women are all too often relegated to supporting roles to men, and this limits their access to education, healthcare, and career options. A report by Plan International found that girls in Kenya are often forced into early marriages, often with older men.

They can be denied the right to make decisions about their own bodies, and female genital mutilation is far too common. The latest statistics indicate that although the incidence of female genital mutilation has reduced, down from 38% in 2018 according to UNICEF, it still stands at 15%, as reported in an article appearing in The Standard in January 2024.

For the poor girls, their parents can’t afford sanitary wear, so for girls at secondary school they are often forced to miss several days of education every month. Some very kind specific donations means that our girls are provided with period pants.

Dr. Catherine Nyongesa, a gender specialist based in Nairobi, illustrates the general nature of the problem, stating, “The abuse of girls in Kenya is not just a matter of individual behaviour but a reflection of wider societal attitudes towards gender. As long as we continue to tolerate inequality and discrimination, girls will remain vulnerable to abuse.”

Their stories are very sad

For obvious reasons we can’t provide too many details or photographs; we can say it’s wonderful to see their smiling faces in their new home.

Their backgrounds vary widly, the abuse coming from a variety of sources, sadly mostly close family. Drugs and alcoholism are a common background theme at home. Where the girls have no close family for support (a common occurrence) there is pressure to marry an older man, even at their very young age.

Empowering girls through education

Education lies at the heart of our mission to uplift and give hope to our school children, boys and girls. As we state over and over, we passionately believe that education is the most powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty. In the case of the girls, it can break the cycle of poverty and abuse. We also recognise that abuse can apply to the boys as well.

In the classroom, we aim for the girls to discover their inherent worth and realise their potential. Research conducted by the Brookings Institution highlights the impact education can have on girls’ lives, which include improved health, better economic opportunities, and greater empowerment generally. According to their findings, every additional year of school for a girl results in higher earnings, better health for their children, and a reduced likelihood of child marriage and early pregnancy.

The impact of your support

None of our efforts would be possible without the generous support of donors like you. Your contributions enable us to maintain our safe house programme and provide support to all the pupils who need help because of what they face at home. With your continued support, we can help to break the cycle of abuse and provide an educational opportunity that is not wasted because of what happens to the pupils outside of school hours.