Dorcas, a 15-year-old girl currently in Junior Secondary, found herself in a distressing situation. She overheard her parents' plans to marry her off during the December holiday of 2023.

Her parents had made this decision due to financial struggles that made it difficult to support her education. Following Maasai traditions, they had arranged that Dorcas should undergo the rite of passage that is female genital mutilation (FGM) then be married off with full consent from both sides of the family. However, Dorcas became aware of the decision when information about the planned FGM and marriage was leaked. Realizing her future was in jeopardy, she sought help by reaching out to the children's county officer.

The officer swiftly intervened, preventing the marriage from taking place, and referred Dorcas to Ewuaso Osiligi Center. Ewuaso Osiligi provided her with the necessary support and protection, allowing her to continue her education. With their help, Dorcas was able to avoid an early marriage and regain the opportunity to focus on her studies, securing a brighter future for herself. This intervention was crucial in preserving her right to education and ensuring she could pursue her dreams despite the financial difficulties her family faced.

October 2024

Mary is a bright 16-year-old girl with dreams of joining secondary school, but her hopes are dimmed by her family's financial struggles. Hailing from a poor household, her parents work as casual laborers, barely making ends meet. When the time came for her to enroll in secondary school, she faced the harsh reality of being denied admission due to unpaid school fees and other requirements. In her Maasai community, this predicament placed her in a precarious situation—marriage loomed as the only alternative, a fate she desperately wished to avoid.

But just when despair threatened to engulf her, Ewuaso Osiligi Center stepped in as a beacon of hope. This organization recognized her potential and offered the support she needed to pursue her education. With their assistance, Mary is now preparing to enroll in secondary school, her heart filled with renewed hope and determination. She envisions a future where she can break free from the constraints of poverty and cultural expectations. With the chance to learn and grow, Mary is ready to embrace her dreams and aspirations, proving that education can change the course of a life.

September 2024

Joyce, a bright 14-year-old, is the youngest of seven siblings. Living in a remote Maasai village, she has faced challenges many could not imagine. Her father, nearly 100 years old, is a staunch adherent of Maasai culture and traditions. In his eyes, daughters are commodities, exchanged for cattle, the tribe's most treasured asset.

Joyce's mother, an alcoholic, has left Joyce in a precarious position, unable to support her daughter's dreams. Despite her father's plans to subject her to harmful traditions, Joyce's life took a turn for the better through divine providence. The Ewuaso Osiligi Center, dedicated to rescuing girls from FGM and other cultural oppressions, intervened just in time. They saved Joyce from a grim fate and returned her to school, offering her a chance to reclaim her future.

Now in grade six, Joyce cherishes every moment of her education. She thanks God daily for this unexpected opportunity to learn and pursue her dreams. However, holidays bring a shadow of fear. She does not return home, wary of her father's anger and the threat of being mistreated. Yet, Joyce remains resilient and hopeful, determined to break free from the chains of her past and build a brighter future.

August 2024

Nancy is a seven-year-old girl, the fifth born in a family of six children who have never attended school. This unfortunate circumstance stems from her father's cultural attitude towards education and the rights of the girl child. In their community, it is customary for girls to be married off at a tender age, usually after undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM). Nancy's older siblings suffered this fate, being married off at the age of 14.

The situation worsened in 2014 when Nancy's mother was involved in a tragic accident, leaving her crippled and unable to care for her children. Her father, adhering to his polygamous lifestyle, neglected his responsibilities and chose to wait until Nancy turned 14 to marry her off, thus continuing the cycle of deprivation and injustice.

Amidst this bleak scenario, there was a glimmer of hope. Ewuaso Osiligi Rescue Center, which is dedicated to supporting vulnerable children, intervened after hearing the family's plight. Their timely intervention has transformed Nancy's life. She is now one of the school-going children at the Ewuaso Osiligi Center where she is receiving an education and the chance for a better future.

July 2024

Jane, a 19-year-old girl, had her education interrupted when financial challenges forced her to drop out of secondary school. While at home, she became pregnant and was married off to a man in his mid-30s. They had another child, but the marriage was plagued by abuse and violence, leading Jane to leave with her children.

Determined to provide for her family, Jane took on various manual jobs to sustain them. In this vulnerable state, she was discovered by Ewuaso Osiligi rescue center, who recognized her potential and offered her the chance to return to school. This opportunity was transformative for Jane.

Back in school, she has demonstrated exceptional prowess in mathematics and sciences, quickly becoming one of the top students in her class. Her future now looks bright, filled with possibilities for further education and a stable career. Jane's success is a testament to her resilience and the life-changing impact of your generous support. Thank you for helping her realize her potential and giving her a chance for a better future.

June 2024

Eunice’s journey with the Ewuaso Osiligi Center since April 2023 has been nothing short of transformative. Hailing from a humble background fraught with diverse challenges, her story encapsulates the profound impact that dedicated organizations can have on individuals striving to break free from the constraints of circumstance. Born into a world where opportunities seemed scarce and dreams felt distant, Eunice faced the harsh reality of limited access to education. Despite her inherent potential and unyielding determination, the financial burden of schooling loomed large, casting a shadow over her aspirations for higher learning. Like many in similar circumstances, the prospect of attending secondary school remained an elusive dream, slipping further from her grasp with each passing year.

However, April 2023 marked a pivotal moment in Eunice’s life as she became a beneficiary of the Ewuaso Osiligi Rescue Center and School. This beacon of hope amidst adversity opened doors that had long been closed to her, offering not just education, but also a pathway to empowerment and self-realization. For Eunice, this opportunity was not merely a chance to acquire knowledge but a lifeline, a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak horizon.

May 2024

In 2020, Annie gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in her village at the age of 13. Soon after, she was married off to an older man in her community.

Not long after entering into her marriage, her husband became physically abusive. Fearing for her and her daughter's safety, she fled from the marriage and from the community. She sought out the help of the local chief, who facilitated her rescue and brought her to the rescue center. 

Annie now is in her sophomore year of high school, or "Form 2" as it is called in Kenya. She is thriving at the rescue center while her daughter is in the care of her mother in a nearby village. She is full of joy and hope, now that she lives in the safety of knowing she is no longer at risk of child marriage. 

April 2024

Samantha was rescued in 2018 and was among the first rescued girls at the center.

As her father was unable to be at home, she was left in the care of her grandmother who, being old in age, struggled to care for her. When school fees became a challenge, her inconsistencies put her at risk of dropping out, and dropping out in the Maasai community, would then put her at risk of FGM and child marriage. 

Fearing for her safety, she was ultimately brought to the rescue center.  Today, Samantha is thriving in school!  She loves to dance and enjoys having visitors at the rescue center and playing football. 

Now in eighth grade, she is preparing to continue her education into high school.  Her father is currently able to visit her often and is a committed parent. Samantha dreams of one day becoming a nurse and with her determination and efforts in school, we know she will go far!

March 2024

Jacky is among the 18 girls who were rescued in January 2024 and brought to the rescue center. She is a very bright girl in school and is willing to learn. Her calmness stands out! So far, she enjoys playing with her peers in the center. She dreams of one day being a teacher.

February 2024

Shannon joined the Osiligi family in 2018 as a fourth grader. She was born and raised in Ewuaso,  the first born in a family of five children. Shannon's parents had been having domestic issues for quite a long time. The disputes were often solved amicably for quite some time, but it bore no fruits. Eventually her mother left the marriage, and her father remarried. After being abused by her stepmother, her case was reported and she was brought to the rescue center.

Just like her Maasai name, "Nashipae," which means happiness, she is a very happy and kind girl, with a popping dimple on her right cheek.

"I am always certain that I will eat, drink and learn when I am here. Back at home, there was no certainty of learning as I was always being sent home for school fees."

Her favorite memory is when she was baptized and confirmed last year in 2023. Since being at the rescue center, she has joined the school football team and enjoys dancing. She aspires to be a journalist in the future!

Please join us in praying for Shannon as she begins high school and works towards accomplishing her goals!

January 2024

Class: Grade 7

Age: 13 years old

Date of Admission: January 18, 2024

Sylvia is the youngest in her family of nine siblings. Her father is very violent and brutal man. After he lost all his cattle to the drought last year, her father made it very clear to Sylvia that he planned to give her out for marriage. In the Maasai community, females are perceived as a source of wealth so that they are married off for the families to gain wealth through a dowry. In this case, Sylvia’s father, after losing cattle, wanted to give Sylvia out for child marriage. Sylvia’s mother was not in favor of his plan and wanted Sylvia to continue with her education.

Sylvia’s brother reached out to a young man who was an advocate for rescuing girls in their community, and informed him of his father's marriage plans for Sylvia. The young man contacted their area chief, who then rescued Sylvia. Thankfully, Sylvia was hosted by the young man’s  family weeks before she actually was rescued because of her high risk of Forced Early Marriage (FEM). Her case was brought to the attention of Catherine Wangari by a children officer and now is rescued at the Ewuaso Osiligi Center.

Pauline was a normal high school girl in Kenya... until she wasn't. Being the last born of three children, her school fees were beginning to become a challenge. She was sent home from school, due to the lack of school fees, more often than not. As time progressed, gaps in her classroom attendance continued and she struggled to maintain her education.

Fed up with the situation, her stepbrothers decided that child marriage was the best option as the family was struggling to make ends meet. Pauline pleaded to the area chief who refused his help and she was quietly married off. 

In the first year of her marriage, she worked jobs in hopes to be able to pay for and finish her own education. She was unable to complete her schooling because she became pregnant. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl in December 2021. 

After many twists and turns, including running away and being forced to return to her husband, a medical team intervened on her behalf and began the rescue process. Her daughter remained in her older sister's care.

Pauline is thriving in school. Although she has had to miss some classes for medical treatment, her teachers are so impressed by her hard work and her performance! Over the last school break, Pauline was able to be reunited with her daughter and to remind herself what she is working toward... a better future for her and her daughter. 

October 2023

Sarah was rescued and brought to the rescue center in 2019 after running away from forced child marriage. She started her education again at the Ewuaso Osiligi School after being rescued and finished her junior secondary learning (8th grade) and prepared to go to high school.

However, after entering high school, she realized that traditional education was not a great fit for her. Her grades were dropping, and she realized her heart was not in it. Instead, she wanted to pursue a vocational school to become a dressmaker and tailor. This made a lot of sense to everyone in Kenya, as she was always helping the school tailor and other girls with minor adjustments to their own clothes. 

Sarah felt called in a different direction and this year, that became a reality! She began vocational college in May and was happy to report with some of her creations after her first term.

Because of your help, girls like Sarah are now pursuing a passion that can help establish their futures! Thanks be to God for her progress and for your support.

August 2023

Hannah is 15 years old and in 7th grade. She was rescued in 2019 and has lived at the Ewuaso Osiligi Rescue Center ever since. She comes from a community a few hours away from the center. 

When her mother passed away during childbirth, she was forced to drop out of school in order to take care of her six siblings. She helped raise her siblings for three years and then desired to return to school. However, her father refused. She had grown older and in the Maasai tribe, was considered close to becoming a woman. He instead wanted her to undergo FGM and be married off at 11 years old, which was encouraged by her step mother. 

It was another woman in the family, another wife of her father, that raised the alarm when the plans became known amongst the adults. She sought help from the area chief, who rescued Hannah. 

Hannah is bubbly, outgoing and full of hope for the future. She has grown in confidence, in faith, and physically since arriving four years ago. “I came to the center when I was 11 years old but I was unable to join fourth grade because I couldn’t read or write. Now, I can read and write in Swahili and English. I can express myself!” 

Hannah is passionate about being a truth-teller and showing compassion to others. She dreams of one day becoming an accountant.