The Safe House: An Enclave of Peace and Hope

Sandrine’s life in Congo was quite normal and she experienced a happy family life with her parents and brother. She was a happy child who loved playing with their neighbors and made friends easily. She doesn’t remember much about their daily life since she was quite young, but she remembers lots of laughter and happiness when their family was still intact. During the war, her parents were killed, and she fled their home with her brother.

The journey to Kenya was long, tedious, and full of anxiety with so much uncertainty on the road. It took them almost a month to get to the Kenyan border. They got assistance from truck drivers to move from country to country. They would sleep on the streets, cold and hungry. Eventually, they got a truck driver coming to Kenya who assisted them. Once they got to Kenya, they sought assistance from their cousins who had earlier fled to Kenya as well.

Sandrine arrived in Kenya in 2016 with her brother. Upon their arrival, they met up with their older cousins who lived in Kenya, and they took them in. Life with their relatives was good, until one day when their cousin changed on them. He started mistreating and abusing the siblings. He kept getting them into trouble with the UN and local authorities by making false accusations such that, at one point, they were arrested and booked in a police cell. Since she was a minor, Sandrine was transferred to a remand home as a form of protection. Their abusive cousin later got her brother released, but it wasn't long before they clashed again, and he threw him out on the streets. Another relative of theirs came to Sandrine's brother's rescue and took him in. 

Sandrine spent nearly four months in the remand home before she was transferred to Mama Ngina Children's Home. After a few months there, she was reunited with her brother in their relative's home where she found some respite. However, it was increasingly becoming difficult for their relative to take care of the two siblings and he advised them to seek support from UNHCR. One of the UNHCR partners who learnt about Sandrine's plight informed her about RefuSHE’s Safe House where she would find safety and protection. Sandrine joined the Safe House early this year. 

Sandrine felt very anxious and desperate before joining RefuSHE’s Safe House. Depending on their relatives for survival was becoming hard, and she didn’t know who else to whom else she could turn. Now, Sandrine says she feels safe and good. She is happy to be among girls that she can relate with after only living with male relatives since her arrival in Kenya. Above all, she is happy to be in a secure place to call home.

Sandrine has a passion for crocheting, a hands-on skill that was recently introduced as a livelihood skill for Safe House residents to learn. She loves working on different pieces and with different colors and hopes this is a business she can embark on in future.

She is hopeful that her life troubles are not permanent and believes she will be a successful woman who will inspire other young refugee girls and give them hope. She would also wish to let other girls know about RefuSHE and the services we give to separated and unaccompanied refugee girls.