The woman I am today has been shaped by every experience I’ve lived through. My deep passion for women’s empowerment, the protection of children, and entrepreneurship has grown from the ashes of difficult times—seven years of domestic violence, fighting to protect my daughter, and learning to stand tall on my journey to financial independence.

I often say that domestic violence is blind—it does not discriminate by economic status, education, or ethnicity. But the beauty in this blind tragedy is that we are not limited by these factors when it comes to helping others facing the same trials.

While I may never fully understand why I allowed myself to endure such torment, what I do know is this: I can now help other women and children escape the cycle and thrive. Peeling away the rotten layers of pain, trauma, and fear has been a long process, but in their place, I have built layers of healing and strength. I don’t have a psychology background, but I do have the memory of those whose kindness, support, and advocacy lifted my daughter and me from darkness into light.

I never set out to establish a women’s empowerment program helping victims of domestic violence, but in the summer about a decade ago, when a half-naked, battered, and bruised woman came running to our home in Kenya seeking refuge, I knew I had to act.

Caroline had no education, eleven children, and as a third wife, owned nothing. Despite the differences in our backgrounds, when I looked at Caroline, I saw myself. Her struggle was my struggle, and her healing became my mission.

Together, we mirrored our journeys:

• Leave the toxic environment and protect your children.
• Seek help and surround yourself with positive, supportive people.
• Work hard, achieve financial independence, and own what’s yours.

I have been blessed to own a 140-acre farm and have ten years of experience exporting fruits and vegetables. It was the perfect place to give Caroline her new beginning. Word soon spread, and one by one, more women came. And one by one, I welcomed them in.

Today, the Shoe4Africa Women’s Empowerment Program for domestic violence victims is an umbrella for 160 women, and we are still growing. Together, we’ve fought hard battles, broken cultural barriers, and in many cases, even gone against the grain to ensure the safety and growth of these women.

In our time together, we have achieved:

• Protection: In collaboration with local police and village elders, we’ve safeguarded these women and their children.
• Employment: Each woman works on the farm, earning wages above the local standard and learning modern farming techniques.
• Property Ownership: In five years, 60 women have secured title deeds to their own one-acre plots of land.
• Education: We ensure that every child is enrolled in school without disruption.
• Empowerment: The impact is beyond words.

I did not walk this path alone. I am now remarried to an incredible man and surrounded by friends with generous hearts. Together, we are embarking on our next mission—building the first women’s shelter in Western Kenya, where not only the women but their children will find safety and support.

I invite you to join us on this journey, whether through giving or simply spreading the word. Together, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Every donation is tax deductible under US law.  All contributions will go 100% to the Women’s Empowerment program.