“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor”
Desmond Tutu
In Kenya, there is an ongoing femicide crisis, and now more than ever, women are the most unsafe group in the country. However, organizations such as the Usikimye stand as a beacon of hope and female empowerment with safe-houses to empower these women.
Usikimye is a Kiswahili word that means ‘Don’t be silent’. It is a non-profit organization that works towards the eradication of gender-based violence and femicide. The organization has three safe houses––two for women and children and one for men. They also combat hunger by feeding more than 2,000 girls and women weekly in Soweto slums in Nairobi, Kenya. Since their inception in 2020, they have rescued 10,000 women and girls, most of whom have had their communities reach out to the organization through their toll-free, 24/7 Gender Based Violence Hotline or did so personally.
| Email: info@usikimye.org |
| Phone Number: (071) 815-8400 |
| Website: https://www.usikimye.org |
The organization’s founder, Njeri Migwi, is a beacon of hope for these women, as she is a survivor of forced early marriage at 16 years old, which then led to over a decade of domestic abuse, which led to partial hearing loss and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She walked away and started her life from scratch as an activist and founded Usikimye in 2019. The shelters are in well-guarded, undisclosed locations, and they host survivors for 90 days, during which they lead relatively normal lives and are trained and equipped with financial literacy skills, basic economics, and first aid. They learn to make pottery and cook for a living. There are two therapy sessions a week, which include yoga and dance. These sessions provide a way for survivors to express themselves and start their healing journey. As for the children, they use art and music therapy to help them heal. After 90 days, women can leave. If they don’t have a safe place to stay, Migwi helps them get a place where they can start a new life. They source house basics and encourage them to use the skills they have given them to earn a living.
Currently, every eighteen hours, a woman in Kenya is murdered simply because she is a woman. In light of the ongoing femicide crisis in Kenya, Usikimye is spearheading a petition to declare femicide a crime on its own, aside from murder. They are calling on the Kenyan government to legally recognize femicide as a distinct crime. Without this recognition, these killings are ignored, poorly tracked, and often go unpunished. The petition can be found and signed here.
“We’re building more than services– we’re building a movement for justice, healing, and dignity. Usikimye exists because no one should suffer in silence.”
Njeri Migwi, Founder and Executive Director,
Usikimye
2 responses to “Usikimye”
So nice to see initiatives like this. Its people like Njeri Migwi that make this world a safer place and loving place for everyone. We need more of Njeri’s in this world. Thanks Natasha for sharing this with the world.
Thank you so much for your kind words. We couldn’t agree more. Njeri’s compassion and courage are so powerful. It’s people like her who remind us what real impact looks like. Big love to Natasha for bringing her story to light.
– Best, Team TC