The Safe House: An Enclave of Peace and Hope

Dianne does not clearly remember when she fled Congo. The trauma of her experiences caused memory loss, and she was only 10 years old at the time. She recalls being in school, which was far from home, and one day, on her way back, she was attacked by a rebel group. She was held captive and assaulted by the men, later giving birth at just 15 years old. One day, she saw an opportunity to escape and fled into the forest with her six-month-old baby. She spent the night there, enduring mosquitoes and wild animals, but she braved through. Eventually, she found people who helped her trace her way home, only to discover that her family had disappeared after war ravaged their village. Alone and vulnerable, she took shelter in the house she once called home but due to the war it had no doors or windows. A man found her a few days later and asked her to join him as he had shelter. He would later take advantage of her and make her his wife. With no family to turn to, Dianne accepted the marriage in exchange for food. There, she gave birth to her second child. However, war soon reached her new home, forcing her to flee again—this time with two small children. She ran to a hospital, where she stayed for a month until her children recovered. From there, she was referred to Nairobi, though she remembers little of the journey. Once in Nairobi, she had no shelter and was forced to sleep on the streets until a kind woman noticed her and connected her with Congolese women living in her plot. 

For a year, she stayed in a cramped double room with 16 other mothers and children. Food was scarce, and without an income, her children often cried from hunger. She endured verbal abuse and worked tirelessly in the house. One day, while fetching water, she met a Congolese girl her age who had been at RefuSHE. That meeting changed her life, as the girl brought Dianne to the RefuSHE campus, where her journey took a new direction. 

Dianne’s circumstances began to improve after being referred to RefuSHE by a former alumna in March 2024. Initially enrolled in the Girls Empowerment Program, her living situation took another turn when she was forced out of her home. RefuSHE’s Case Management team immediately referred her to the Safe House for shelter and support. Recently, Dianne exited the Safe House and now lives in her own house—a single-room iron-sheet house in a safe neighborhood with access to water and electricity. She is waiting to join the Grade 3 tailoring class at RefuSHE later this year. She feels happy and hopeful for the future. 

Links:

• Learn more about RefuSHE's Safe House