Dear friends of Freely in Hope,
Fifteen years ago, I started Freely in Hope from a little spark of hope that our mission could somehow support survivors to find their own sense of hope after facing unspeakable violence. I knew that our mission of ending sexual violence would not happen overnight—still, my dream was to make healing, liberation, and opportunity possible for one survivor at a time.
Through every hardship of loss, betrayal, violence, terror, and trauma upon trauma, I held tightly to that hope, praying that every seed of intention we planted would one day root.
And not only did those seeds of hope root—they turned into a vast field of blooms—full of expansive dreams for themselves and their communities. I witnessed survivors reintegrate into school, graduate top of their class, and launch into their careers of choice. I witnessed their courage, tenacity, and wisdom evolve above systemic oppression. I witnessed them blossom into dynamic leaders, speakers, and educators who have taught me how to live, love, and lead with compassion in this violent world. I witnessed their hearts soften to healing and transform with love. I witnessed their little sparks of hope light a fire in their eyes as they started to dream again—not only for themselves but also for their communities.
Witnessing how they have expanded their education in impactful service to communities affected by violence, I have based my leadership ethos on this belief: survivors have the potential to become the most powerful leaders in our world.
Over the past 15 years, we have seen this again and again. And in 2025, we saw it more visibly than ever in alumni stepping forward to mentor, in survivor-leaders facilitating our sexual abuse prevention workshops and impacting thousands of professionals, and in women building sustainable businesses that are lighthouses in their communities.
This year, we reached 7,074 people across 17 regions in Kenya and Zambia.
From the global pandemic, to political violence, to program pivots necessary to respond to survivor’s needs, I have witnessed our team serve our communities with great integrity, care, and wisdom. Their leadership has strengthened my belief in the survivor leadership model we worked so hard to collectively uphold. Because our theory of change has proven true time and time again, Freely in Hope is making its most critical shift: becoming entirely survivor-led and locally-led. Though our programs have always been led by the vision of survivors since our inception, it was important to me that its top leadership truly embodied the mission and vision, not only in ethos, but also in lived experience.
What started as a seed of hope has developed into long-lasting roots of healing.
Nurtured by the generosity of donors, the prayers of advocates, and the belief of friends in common mission, the many dreams of survivors are now blooming before us in real time.
We—survivors, donors, and partners—have collectively built Freely in Hope into what it is today: providing holistic education for 50 survivors of sexual abuse, empowering 96 women and girls through leadership and entrepreneurship trainings, and empowering over 20,000 children and adults with lifesaving education about body safety, trauma-informed education, and sexual abuse prevention. and the next phase of growth, scalability, and impact needed to be locally led by survivors, for survivors. As a survivor-centered organization, it is important to me that our initiatives are led by leaders with the wisdom of lived experience.
My decision to transition out of my role as Executive Director is a joyful intentional choice to create space for a new chapter—birthed from the vision and insight of local leadership in Kenya, where our story first began.
It is my distinct honor to introduce our incoming Executive Director, Fridah Nyaga. Throughout her career, Fridah has been a fierce champion for women’s rights and a strategic leader in the fight against sexual abuse across Kenya. With a proven track record of scaling impactful programs, Fridah possesses the exact blend of wisdom, local expertise, and vision needed to guide Freely in Hope into the future. I am incredibly thrilled to watch our mission continue to bloom under her leadership.
"Witnessing survivors lead the work to end sexual violence is inspiring. From shaping Freely in Hope’s strategic objectives to designing and implementing programs, they are directly dismantling the root causes of violence and breaking the cycle of abuse. That is why I am profoundly honored to be stepping into the role of Executive Director at Freely in Hope at this pivotal juncture. This marks a defining chapter as Freely in Hope deliberately shifts its leadership to Africa and to the communities most impacted by sexual violence. What excites me most is Freely in Hope’s holistic commitment to education as a powerful tool for both prevention and response. As I have listened to survivors, they have shared how holistic education opened doors they never thought possible—now, they are living their dreams. I have interacted with young women who escaped forced prostitution and are now leading the Malkia Program—transforming women as entrepreneurs. I have witnessed how Pendo’s Power empowers educators to stop child sexual abuse before it happens. I am eager to collaborate with this community to sustain our vital mission. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to a world free from sexual violence."
To our Board of Directors, advisors, and staff: thank you for guiding this transition process with such profound care and intentionality. To our donors and partners: thank you for nurturing these dreams with your generosity and prayers. Though I’m transitioning from my role as executive director at Freely in Hope, my hope, love, and faith in this community will remain.
Where hope roots, dreams bloom.
Nikole Lim
Founder & outgoing Executive director
Join us in welcoming our incoming executive Director, Fridah Wawira Nyaga, to Freely in Hope! We’ll be celebrating our 15th Anniversary and the incredible accomplishments of survivor-leadership.
Witness the growth of our programs and hear our new vision for the future!
Freely in Hope’s 15th Anniversary Gala
October 24, 2026
San Francisco, CA
