Amani: Seeing Justice Restored

master-fih

January 2, 2020

I WAS 8 YEARS OLD. I WAS LIVING WITH MY MOTHER AND THE PERPETRATOR WHO WAS A VERY FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN.

Life was easy until one fateful day, I realized that it was all a lie. Things started to change. The person I knew as humble and quiet turned out to be a monster. He became extremely violent and subjected my mom to physical violence and economic control. As a result, life became increasingly hard. We would stay at home for months without going to school because he would spend all the money that was meant for school fees.

I was 13 years old. He defiled me and took away my innocence. I had never felt so much pain. He broke me into pieces, I felt so empty. To add salt to the wound, he threatened to kill me if I told anyone. Young as I was, I could not risk death so I kept quiet. There came a point when I could not bear the pain anymore and I became depressed and suicidal. When I was 14, I finally told my mother the truth. Though she was shocked and confused, she supported me and reported it to the police. After a lengthy court process, the perpetrator was found guilty and he was handed a long sentence.

FINDING HOME

I met Freely in Hope at a time when I desperately needed psychological, physical, and emotional support. I was not only provided with a school, but I found a home. FIH has been a place that not only accepted me for who I am, but also supported me in dealing with my trauma. The amount of strength and courage in each member of this wonderful community has taught me lessons that I will take with me wherever I go. FIH has given me the ability to reach out to others who have had experiences similar to mine. In my everyday interaction with other survivors, a new sense of hope is renewed within me. I am happy because I was able to continue my studies; I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce. I keep pressing on in my journey towards healing, it is not easy, but every single step is worth it.

MY DREAM

I want to become a motivational speaker and inspire people with my story globally, as well as mentoring those who have shared my experience. I also want to participate in financial initiatives to help end sexual violence. The opportunities that education provides will help me be successful and achieve my dream. I want to create safe spaces for survivors to speak out against injustices in their communities. I believe that one day, both men and women will work together, taking the responsibility of seeing justice restored to those victimized by sexual violence. When I share my story, I hope that survivors suffering in silence will find hope and reach out for support.

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Magdalene: Equipping Girls to Shine

March 18, 2024

My ultimate dream is to open a safe home for girls who have been rescued from prostitution, are at risk of being sexually abused, and have no one to fight for them. This home will be filled with hope, faith, and love for dreams to be restored so that they are able to go to school, just as I have.

2023 YEAR IN REVIEW

December 26, 2023

In 2023, we directly impacted over 6,000 people with programs and resources that empower survivors and end sexual violence worldwide! But we didn’t start here—14 years ago, we began by listening to the dreams of one survivor in Kenya and one survivor in Zambia.