Breaking Chains: Rahab Gati’s Battle Against Forced Marriage in Kuria
“Every girl in Kuria does. But I dreamed of more. I wanted an education and a career in journalism—a dream I’d carried since I was in grade three.”
Forced and early marriages are common in Kuria land. Photo/Equality Now.
By Rahab Gati
In the verdant hills of Kuria, where ancestral traditions shape every corner of life, the life of a young woman is often mapped out before she learns to dream.
Here, cultural norms demand that women marry by their 20th year, leaving little room for personal aspirations.
But in this tightly woven community, one woman has dared to challenge centuries of expectation, choosing her dreams over tradition.
Rahab Gati, now 22, recalls the day her uncle gathered the family to deliver the decree.
“Growing up, I always knew this moment would come,” Rahab shares. “Every girl in Kuria does. But I dreamed of more. I wanted an education and a career in journalism—a dream I’d carried since I was in grade three.”
In her family, however, dreams were a luxury, and marriage was an obligation. To her uncles, her refusal was unthinkable.
It brought what they deemed shame to the family, casting her as selfish and disrespectful to their heritage.
“I was ostracized from family gatherings,” she recalls, her voice steady but reflective.
“I cried myself to sleep many nights, wondering if I’d made the right decision. But my mother stood by me. Her support gave me strength.”
Rahab’s turning point came when she joined Msichana Empowerment, a local women’s group providing sanctuary and solidarity for women resisting forced marriages.
There, she found a sisterhood, a shared resilience among women who had also chosen to defy the odds.
“We shared our stories, our pain, and our victories,” she says. “With their help, I began to educate myself about my rights and realized that my fight wasn’t just for me but for every girl in Kuria.”
Armed with newfound knowledge and unshakable resolve, Rahab began speaking out against forced marriage and advocating for girls’ rights in her community. Despite resistance, she remained undeterred.
“Traditions should evolve with us, not enslave us,” Rahab asserts. “If I can help even one girl escape the fate I fought against, it will all be worth it.”
Today, Rahab is a symbol of hope in Kuria, carving a path for future generations. Her journey hasn’t been easy, but her courage inspires young women to envision a life beyond imposed boundaries.
Rahab dreams of working in the media to amplify voices like hers and continue her mission to empower girls with knowledge. “The battle against forced marriage is far from over,” she says. “But with each step forward, we’re proving that courage and determination can break even the strongest chains of tradition.”
In a world bound by age-old norms, Rahab Gati is rewriting the narrative—one girl, one dream, one step at a time.
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