Childcare Opens A New Beginning
For six years, Rosemary Ngonyo lived in silence. Behind closed doors, the young mother of two endured a cycle of violence from her husband. Like many survivors of gender-based violence, she felt trapped by fear, stigma, and economic dependence. Leaving the relationship seemed impossible.
One night changed everything. At six months pregnant, Rosemary found herself in a violent confrontation that nearly cost her life. “I remember thinking I might not survive that night,” she recalls quietly. “I kept asking myself how my life had reached this point.”
Hope came from an unexpected place when a neighbor told her about community sensitization sessions, where survivors of violence could seek help and be connected to support services through established referral pathways.
“At first I was afraid,” she says. “But when my neighbor told me there were people who could listen and help, I began to believe that maybe my life could be different.”
On 6 May, during another violent confrontation at home, Rosemary made the most difficult decision of her life. “When I saw him reach for a kitchen knife, something inside me changed,” she says. “I realized that if I stayed, I might not live to see my children grow.”
With the support of a trusted friend, Rosemary left the abusive home and reached out for help through the county GBV coordination system. Through the referral pathway, she was connected to CCGD staff who provided counseling and psychosocial support.
“At that point I was completely broken,” she says. “I had even thought about ending my life because everything felt hopeless.”
During one counseling session, Rosemary learned about Nabulu Childcare Facility that was looking for caregivers, and the support team encouraged her to apply.
“I almost didn’t go for the interview because I was seven months pregnant,” she says with a small smile. “But they reminded me that my experience mattered.”
Rosemary had previously worked in a children’s home, and her experience and passion for caring for children impressed the panel. She was offered the job.
“That opportunity changed everything for me,” she says. “For the first time in years, I felt like someone believed in me.”
The job gave her more than an income. It restored dignity, independence, and stability. With a steady salary, Rosemary was able to pay rent, prepare for the birth of her baby, and begin rebuilding a life for herself and her children.
After giving birth, Rosemary returned to work, with her baby enrolled at the same childcare facility. “Knowing my child is safe while I work gives me peace,” she says. “Without childcare, I would have had to choose between earning a living and caring for my baby.”
Today, Rosemary continues to receive psychosocial support as part of staff services facilitated by Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development (CCGD) that runs the childcare facility.
What once felt like an impossible future now carries hope and possibility.
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