From Survival to Strength: Uasin Gishu Women Share Harrowing Stories of Gender-Based Violence and Resilience
Ann Breaks Down as She Relives Harrowing Gender-Based Violence, Turning Tragedy into a Fight for Justice
By Delmartin Ouma & Mercylene Jeptoo
As the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence began, voices from survivors echoed powerfully at the launch event in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. Among them was Caroline Rono, a mother of two, who shared her harrowing journey of abuse and survival. Alongside her, Ann, a mother of eight, revealed a tragic and heartbreaking twist in her life. Their stories, steeped in resilience, highlight the urgent need for systemic change in addressing gender-based violence.
Caroline, a survivor of domestic violence, painted a vivid picture of her torment. Losing her mother at a young age, she was raised by her grandmother, who also passed away within a few years. Left without support, she chose marriage in 2019 as a potential escape from poverty and hardship.
Initially, she experienced a year of happiness, blessed with two daughters. But that bliss was short-lived. “From 2022, I became a refugee in my own house. Not a day would pass without him beating me up,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion.
The abuse often forced her and her children to spend nights on the streets. Seeking solace, she returned to her father’s home in 2023, but life there was equally bleak. Jobless and with limited family support, she had no choice but to return to her husband’s house, only to endure further violence.
At her lowest point, Caroline considered ending her life and that of her children.”I had prepared poison,” she revealed. “As I scrambled to escape yet another beating, the poison spilled, and we narrowly escaped death.”
Determined to change her fate, Caroline reported her ordeal to her area chief and was introduced to the North Rift Theater Ambassadors (NORTA), an organization dedicated to helping survivors like her where she received counseling and empowerment training.
Today, Caroline is rebuilding her life. “I am a survivor, a warrior,” she declared. She now sells onions and tomatoes to sustain her family, describing herself as a testament to resilience.
Ann, another survivor, shared her heartbreaking story of resilience. A mother of eight, her life took a tragic turn when her husband died unexpectedly, leaving her with no means to support her children. Desperation pushed her family into homelessness, and she and her children became street dwellers.
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With no options left, Ann turned to sex work as a means of survival—a decision she doesn’t justify but one she saw as her only option to provide for her children. “Being a sex worker doesn’t take away one’s humanity,” Ann emphasized. “It’s a reflection of the dire situations people face when they’re fighting to survive.”
One horrifying night, Ann accompanied two other women when three men offered them a ride. “They took us towards the forest from Moi Girls Road in Uasin Gishu. We thought it was another night like any other, looking for daily payment,” she recounted.
What followed was a nightmare. The men mercilessly killed her two companions before turning on her. “I cried for my life, telling them I had children waiting for me at home,” she said tearfully. The men tortured and blinded her, leaving her for dead in the forest. Miraculously, Ann survived the ordeal.
Now, she uses her voice to advocate for justice and an end to gender-based violence. “The government must create rescue centers and safe homes for vulnerable women,” she urged. “We must make noise about abuse and hold perpetrators accountable.”
Ann’s story is a sobering reminder of the extreme violence many women face, and her survival speaks to the resilience of the human spirit.
Caroline and Ann’s experiences are not isolated. The statistics are staggering: between October 2023 and September 2024, 13,606 cases of physical and emotional violence and 1,456 cases of sexual violence were reported in Uasin Gishu County alone. Data from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Uasin Gishu County Hospital underscores the pervasive nature of these crimes.
Globally, violence against women and girls remains one of the most widespread human rights violations. Nearly one in three women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, often at the hands of an intimate partner. For thousands, the cycle of abuse ends in murder—partners and family members intentionally killed ten women every hour in 2023.
Young girls face particular vulnerability, with one in four adolescent girls experiencing abuse from partners. Ann’s call for rescue centers and support systems for women in vulnerable situations resonates deeply with the grim reality these statistics reflect.
The solutions lie in robust responses, including holding perpetrators accountable, creating well-resourced national strategies, and increasing funding for women’s rights movements. Ann’s plea for transformative change highlights the urgency of accelerating action against gender-based violence.
“The alarming escalation of violence against women needs revitalized commitments, accountability, and action from decision-makers,” Benedine Kipruto Chair of the Uasin Gishu County Civil Society Network noted.
Caroline and Ann’s stories serve as a powerful call to action. They remind the world that behind every statistic is a human being—a survivor who demands justice and a better future. As Caroline put it, “I am not just a victim—I am a survivor, and I will continue fighting for my children and myself.”
Their courage offers hope and a rallying cry for systemic transformation to end gender-based violence once and for all.
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