When Ann married a man she barely knew at age 14, she believed the union was the only quick fix to escape her household, where an abusive step-father made life unbearable.
Ann’s situation is not uncommon in Kenya, a country ranking 18th highest in the world for the absolute number of women married or in a union before the age of 18. Statistics show that girls living in poverty like Ann are twice as likely to marry under 18.
Ann didn’t think things could get worse until she became pregnant. After giving birth to her daughter, Ivydinah, at age 16, her husband renounced his responsibilities as a spouse and father. He drank constantly and engaged in extramarital affairs. He’d leave for days at a time, only to spontaneously return to their home, angry and drunk, to mistreat Ann.
This was when Ann began thinking about taking her own life. “I was so hopeless, and I became withdrawn. I did not know who to reach out to for help, but I kept on wishing that I would disappear from this world,” said Ann.
It was Ann’s family—her desire to raise Ivydinah and find a way to help her mother and younger sister, Mercy, safely leave the throes of the abusive step-father—that kept her going through this dark period. She found the strength to leave her marriage and took refuge at a relative’s home.
Shortly after, she joined Zoe Empowers Kenya and the Joyous Kirua empowerment group in January 2019. By April 2019, Ann started her own farming business, beginning with a single plot of land and a few vegetable seeds (cabbage, carrots, potatoes). Zoe provided her with a hoe and machete to assist with land preparation.
After a couple of harvests, Ann saved enough money to rent a second plot of land, doubling her planting capacity. She also invested in sheep and chickens. Ann sold chicken eggs for extra income but kept a fair share for her family to eat. The integration of vegetables and eggs, both unaffordable before Zoe, dramatically improved Ann’s health and her family’s health.
Of the various trainings taught by Zoe staff, Ann was particularly struck by the classes on reproductive health and sexuality. Never before had Ann learned the dangers of child marriage, early pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, or how to care for herself properly.
Ann began actively sharing her newly acquired knowledge about child rights by training other young girls in her community how to stand up against early marriage. “I emphasize the importance of staying single, protecting yourself, and making a future for yourself, first, instead of getting married,” Ann said.
Learning her rights and how to enforce them also led Ann to stop further abuse from her step-father. By informing the area chief of the situation, Ann perpetuated a successful intervention at her former household. Ann’s mother separated from the step-father, allowing Ann to move back home to rejoin her sister, Mercy. Ann also adopted her younger cousin, Mary, into the family.
Ann’s experience resonates with many young people in her community. Her relatability—having lost her father to illness when she was a child to living in extreme poverty then overcoming countless other challenges—has prompted several orphans and vulnerable children to seek her support and guidance.
Being an advocate and mentor has brought significant meaning to Ann’s life. “Zoe Empowers has given me an opportunity to inform, educate and raise awareness on the need to combat early marriages, child abuse, and gender inequality in my community,” said Ann. “I will challenge gender stereotypes and bias.”
As a country, Kenya has committed to eliminating child, early, and forced marriage by 2030 in line with target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals. While many organizations work to make this a reality, Zoe Empowers contributes through orphan empowerment.
We need more vulnerable young women to know their rights and how to vocalize them. We need more advocates like Ann actively calling out gender bias and inequality in their community. We need more people who #ChooseToChallenge.
This International Women’s Day, you can simultaneously #ChooseToChallenge AND help the world’s most vulnerable children by becoming a Zoe Empowers partner. Starting at just $9 a month, you can set in motion a life-changing transformation.
Give Now
