Education and Empowerment for Refugee Girls

Noel is a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor from Democratic Republic of Congo. She fled her country of origin as a result of war, something she says she has witnessed since the age of 11 years. Noel lived in place called Kalemi in Congo with her family. She states that war started in the middle of night when they were still asleep. On that fateful day, her village was surrounded by the Maimai rebels, when they heard gunshots and everyone in her family fled in different directions. It was in that very moment that she separated from her family and found herself alone in the middle of a war zone with the rebels.

Noel was abducted and taken to the rebel camp in the forest. While in the camp, she was assaulted, raped and forced into early marriage by the commander of the militia group. She was raped daily alongside other women for a period of one year and two months. As a result, she got pregnant. She was forced to work as a slave for the rebels in which she would fetch firewood and do laundry.

On August 25, 2017, she went into labor and delivered her baby on her own since there were no doctors in the camp. When other women who were captives heard her scream, they came to her rescue. They assisted her with African fabrics famously known as vitenges to cover her baby from cold. She states that while in the camp, despite breastfeeding, she was not given enough food and forced to work as a slave. She named her baby Angel.

After a period of four months, on December 1, 2017, Noel managed to flee from captivity because she was left alone while the rebels were celebrating Christmas in an unknown place. She walked for long distances for a period of two days to a place called Uvira without any food or water. She rested and slept at night in the forest and walked during the day.

She relied on well-wishers for money and food. She states that she would be given lifts by truck drivers who were carrying goods. They would hide her and her child in between goods in order to cross Bunagana, a border between Congo and Uganda. She was assisted by a well-wisher to flee from Bunagana to Kampala to Busia after she heard interesting stories about Kenya. When she reached Busia, she was asked to walk with other people across the border since she did not have the required documents.

Noel arrived in Nairobi on January 16, 2018. Through the help of a Kenyan, she was able to be taken to UNHCR. She was taken to the transit center where she stayed for a period of four months before being assisted to live in the community with other minors. While in the community, her roommate who was from Sudan faced a lot of insecurity issues which affected her greatly. They were referred to the RefuSHE safehouse together and their hope and security was restored as their cases were placed in the resettlement process.

Noel is currently enrolled in level one at the Girl Empowerment Program. She is attending school while her child is enrolled in the Early Childhood Development program. She is also one of the best performing girls in the tailoring class.

Noel states that the safehouse enabled her to interact and integrate with other minors from different nationalities. It also enabled her to learn different cultures and new ways of living. She states that she will forever be thankful for the assistance given by RefuSHE. Noel's hope has been restored and this has enabled her to live harmoniously, positively and peacefully in the community with her fellow minors.