The Safe House: An Enclave of Peace and Hope

Lucie is 17 years old and from Democratic Republic of Congo. She was the third and only girl in a family of three children, living with her parents in a small village in Congo. Early in 2013, as they were preparing to eat their evening meal, her village was attacked by Mai Mai rebels. They heard their neighbors screaming and running for safety. Lucie narrates “Two soldiers came to our house. They had guns and they stole all the money my parents had, they then killed my parents and brothers, and demanded I go with them to serve as a wife in their camp. I couldn’t do anything because the soldiers had guns. I was so scared. They walked me in silence into the bush. When we arrived, I found many other girls there they had kidnapped. We were held hostage there and abused for many months.”

Fortunately, one day, Lucie managed to escape, however she had already given birth to a baby girl born as a result of abuse. She was assisted to travel through Uganda to Kenya, where she was reffered to Heshima Kenya in February 2015. She was immediately provided with safe, protective shelter in the Safe House for herself and her daughter, medical care, and trauma counseling. At first, Lucie exhibited many signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. She would constantly hold her daughter close, not wanting to let her go due to fear. She did not want her daughter to play with other children or be out of her sight. She would begin to cry when staff or residents would approach her. Lucie participated in regular, intensive counseling, she was also enrolled in life skills courses to help her build parenting skills, cope with her emotions and build positive self-esteem.

As months went by, Lucie showed great improvement with her relationship with her baby and other residents. She is now able to allow her daughter to attend baby classes conducted by the Heshima Kenya Early Childhood Program, resulting in her baby expressing more confidence and social skills, frequently playing with other children. Lucie has built her own self-confidence as she slowly recovers from the extremly challenging situations she faced. She has even begun to accept leadership roles assigned to her within the Safe House. She hopes that one day she will be able to change other young girls’ lives in her community by participating in youth mentorship programs. She says, “When there is conflict, women and girls suffer a lot. I suffered a lot but now I feel happy because am in a safer place. I always pray for peace in our countries. I now see light at the end of tunnel.”

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