The Safe House: An Enclave of Peace and Hope

Jolie Nyampundu was referred to the Heshima Kenya Safe House on April 13^th, 2016 by the International Organization of Migration (IOM) and UNHCR. She was due to be resettled to the USA the same day but her flight was cancelled the last minute due to unresolved issues. It was extremely difficult for Jolie to accept that she would not be resettled after many years of waiting to finally become resettled. As Jolie recalls when she fled the DRC, it was late at night when her father had just returned the cattle back home after a long day of herding in the field. All over sudden, they heard sounds of guns and screaming of women and children. As they ran for safety, Jolie witnessed her parents and other siblings being shot dead by militia men. She hid herself behind a tree only to be captured by the rebels and taken to their camp. After many months of suffering, a good friend of her mother recognized her and helped her escape from the torture of the militia men.

Jolie was brought into Nairobi and lived with a host family for a few years. Luckily, UNHCR recognized her as unaccompanied child who needed a better life. She started her resettlement process, which was very successful. After being in Kenya for two  years, Jolie was ready to be resettled to the USA. She was happy. She bid farewell to her friends in Kenya but shortly after boarding the plan, she was escorted back out. A case worker had come to the airport and told her that there was something wrong with her paperwork and that she would be unable to be resettled after all. She broke down and was extremely sad and confused because the case worker would not give her more information.  Immediately she was referred to Heshima Kenya’s Safe House for protection and care.

For the first two months, Jolie was reserved and quite because she was still processing not being able to be resettled to the US. She spent most of her time in bed crying and feeling hopeless. She insisted on going back to the IOM to ask them more questions about her resettlement case. The waiting turned into weeks, months, and now almost a year.  The Safe House staff and the Heshima Kenya counsellors helped counsel her through her grief. Jolie started to focus on her studies and participating in activities on the GEP campus and at the Safe House.

After months of counselling, Jolie became more open and calmer. She started to seem happy again as she started making friends with the other Safe House residents. She was enrolled into the vocational training. After lengthy discussions and follow-ups with UNHCR, Jolie’s resettlement case was referred to Australia.  She has now graduated and attained her certificate in tailoring and furthering her education. She is being considered for resettlement in Australia by April 2017.

Jolie is now hopeful that she will have a bright future. She is encouraging other girls not to give up on their dreams. In January 2017, Jolie requested to be exited from the Safe House to join her friends living in the host community in Nairobi. She is much more independent and happy now. She just turned 18 years old and is now enrolled in the Maisha Collective.

“I look at my life and I thank Heshima Kenya for helping me deal with my situation. I found hope in life and I look forward for better things in my future. Thank you.”