Hope is setting a beautiful example for her daughter.

The hardworking beautician expertly manicures her clients’ nails in a busy shopping center in one of Kenya’s major cities. She’s happy with her work, and not just because it provides for her 6-year-old, Elena. She’s proud to have a job that sets a positive example for her little girl.

Because that wasn’t always the case.

Rejected

Elena’s birth came at a difficult time in Hope’s life. She was a very young mother, and Hope’s early pregnancy infuriated her father. “When I tried to talk to him, he was not willing to listen to me,” Hope said. “He sent me away.”

She dropped out of school and went to live with her child’s father. But Hope seemingly meant nothing to the man, and he mistreated her cruelly. He felt that his obligation to the child went no further than allowing them to stay in his home, and he made that clear day in and day out. Aside from taking care of her baby, Hope worked small jobs whenever she could simply to buy food.

After a year, she’d had enough.

She saved up the little money she earned from her job and moved into a single-room apartment with Elena. 

Though freed from her ex’s cruelty, their financial problems remained, compounded by the fact that Hope now had to pay rent. Her desperation increased day by day as she worried about the health of her child.

That’s when a friend introduced her to sex work. He took her to a particular street and showed her how she could make money quickly. Convinced she was out of options, Hope began to sell herself to feed her baby.

The income kept the struggling pair afloat, but Hope suffered terribly. Beyond the constant abuse, her clients would also sometimes refuse to pay her, necessitating that she endure even more exploitation. Shame dogged Hope constantly. 

“Sometimes I would see people that I knew and run away,” she said. “I didn’t want them to recognise me… doing that kind of job.”

But the family had to eat, so Hope had to keep working.

Another way

One of our warmhearted female agents named Grace bravely approached Hope. She told her that she wasn’t trapped; there was a way out of this merciless cycle of sacrificing her body and dignity for the sake of her daughter. 

Hope joined the program and completed her trauma resilience training. For the next phase of her Freedom Plan, she had to decide what vocation she wanted to pursue. 

During her exploitation, Hope dreamed of getting a stable, well-paying job like the beauticians she saw. So when she talked with Grace about vocational training, she thought,  “Maybe I should train in beauty.”

 That decision paid off.

“I was recently employed after training so that I can do people’s nails and they are happy about it,” Hope said. “I’m proud of my job.”

Hope used to worry about her little girl knowing what she did for a living. Now, she’s happy that her daughter sees her working hard at a fulfilling, safe and sustainable job. 

In Hope’s case, rescue made a stable job possible. But it did more than that, too: Hope confidently sets an example for Elena that she can be proud of. She’s not just free from desperation and the cruelty of abusers; she’s free from the shame and guilt that once caused her to flee from those she knew. 

You can help free a child—physically and mentally—by filling out the form below. Rescue a child today.