Faraja is a Swahili word for comfort, but in Mlolongo Kenya Faraja represents much more. Founded by Positive life Kenya, Faraja is a rescue centre that provides a safe space and empowers women with life skill lessons.

The need for such institutions and places is very needed in Kenya’s Machakos county. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, results from Kenya’s 2019 publishing of the Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) reported 49% of girls between the age of 13 - 17 experienced physical violence, while sexual violence was experienced by 11%. Once the pandemic took hold of the world with its paralysing health impacts, COVID-19’s lockdown mandate caused detrimental economic stress, thereby galvanising  abuse towards adolescent girls and women within their households due to the restrictions on movement. The impact of such violence bears the consequences of debilitating psychological, physical, and academic development. Social skills, self-esteem and self-worth are diminished and may lead to heightened issues like dropping out of school, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation. Understanding gender dynamics is important in developing effective strategies to secure educational continuity and to promote gender equality (Wairimu I. & Chilufya C., 2022).

Faraja offers tailoring lessons after which the attendants are given a certificate, are equipped with theoretical and practical knowledge which makes it easier for them to apply for a job or start their own businesses. As such, we have tried answering questions on what would empower a girl, a woman in the midst of a system that supports men by default.

Positive life Kenya is currently trying to equip Faraja with the following resources to expand the content offered to the women: 

• Group therapy
• Cooking lessons
• Exercise, and 
• Literacy (language development, computer and tech literacy, financial literacy)

Lastly, many of the Faraja women are mothers of very small children. They are left without any choice but to bring their kids with them. While their mothers are educating themselves, the kids are left to roam and play around without proper entertainment and supervision. Positive life Kenya’s goal is to implement a daycare where the kids would receive better care.