Jane’s* (not her real name) life had come tumbling down like a pile of blocks following a rape incident. “I was walking home from a friend’s place when a motorbike rider accosted me, pounced on, and raped me. I just wanted to die,” she said during the interview.
Today, Jane has gone through training in both soap making and bead ornaments, which she sells to the community, giving her a tangible income thanks to the Crime Si Poa mentorship program.
Jane suffered depression following the incident, becoming an alcoholic who harbored suicidal thoughts. She had refused to seek medical assistance following the incident that had left her traumatized, which worried her mother. “That is how we got to meet with the mother who shared the concerns with me,” says Rachel Mumbu, a trainer and mentor at Crime Si Poa who was conducting one of the community training courses on soap making. Rachels says Jane’s story was horrifying, and she needed urgent help.
After persistent persuasion, Jane won Rachel’s trust, opened -up, and was taken through counseling sessions. “The uphill task was to make her feel safe around me and allow me to walk the journey with her,” narrated Rachel.
The now-turned-counselor convinced Jane to allow a third party, Halima Guyo, Crime Si Poa Organization Kajiado County Project Officer, to assist her. They eventually took her to the hospital, where she received treatment and further counseling to overcome the trauma and suicidal thoughts.
She was later introduced to detergent and bead ornament-making as part of her healing process and as a source of income. Her transformation journey was remarkable.
Out of 175 countries, Kenya is ranked 114th in the World Population Review, placing it among the nations with high suicide cases globally. Rape has been described as a cause of traumatic experience that causes long-term outcomes, including psychological and social realms of survivors, which may end in suicidal thoughts.
Crime Si Poa has been creating community awareness to eradicate crime-related activities like rape, SGBV, FGM, and drug and substance abuse. The organization also conducts mental health awareness forums and economic empowerment programs that have enriched survivors such as Jane, giving them a second chance.