This year, 8 girls came to us through different local church pastors. They had run away from home because of the harassment of gender violence.
They had no place to go, so we took 2 classrooms and put mattress on the floor. Now the 8 girls live on campus, have completed the training program and have just started their internship. One of our girls who completed the programme 2 years ago is now the dorm mum.
Our plans are to raise USD8,000 to remodel 3 rooms, put in the bathroom, and bunk beds. This will allow us to take in 20 girls for 2026. Then the safe house will become a reality.
Below is the story of one girl who ran away from home because she was going to be forced into a marriage with an older man. She would have been his 2nd or 3rd wife, but she is just a young teenager. She is now in the safe house and working on her internship.
“REHEMA’S DILEMMA”
This is a compelling narrative about a Masai girl who fled from an arranged marriage and discovered safety within the Gender Based Violence (GBV) Program at the Kilimanjaro Institute of Development Studies (KIDS).
Common amongst many women within her clan and the Masai tribe, upon reaching maturity they are expected to get married.
The Masai are well-known for marrying young girls with the bride price potentially reaching significant amounts, contingent upon the appearance of a woman’s skin. The lighter the skin tone, the higher the bride price; thus, Rehema Malika Mamasita’s fair complexion ensures her parents a more substantial bride price.
Many tribes in Tanzania regard women as assets, thus they are meticulously raised to command a high bride price. Some even go so far as to marry them off during adolescence to secure income through bride prices. Frequently, the bride prices of sisters are used to pay for their brothers’ bride prices, meaning that the more daughters a family has, the greater the financial benefit.
Consequently, men would visit the home of Rehema’s parents to negotiate the bride price, and the more suitors that arrived the higher her parents would set the dowry.
However, Rehema harboured her own aspirations, desiring to become a doctor and serve her tribe by addressing endemic and chronic diseases. She vividly recalls her sister losing a child at birth due to complications during pregnancy, which fueled her determination to assist others by becoming a family doctor.
Yet her tribal traditions posed significant obstacles, as she soon realised that she had become the object of affection for numerous young men in her village, as well as older men seeking her as a second or third wife.
Faced with these challenges, Rehema felt increasingly apprehensive about venturing outside her family compound alone. Her mother expressed sympathy for her plight, but what could a woman do to alter tribal customs? All she could offer was her understanding.
Upon completing her O-level secondary education, Rehema devised a plan to leave her family compound when she turned 17, motivated and planned by an Evangelist Pastor.
One bright morning, while her father and brothers were tending to the cattle, she informed her mother that she was going to fetch water.
The strategy was to abandon her water cans midway to the borehole, simulating a kidnapping (a common occurrence for many girls in her tribe). In such cases, families typically wait for the kidnapper to appear, after which they negotiate the bride price, a process that can take several days. Additionally, the kidnapper faces a fine for taking the girl before a bride price agreement is reached.
On the day of her escape, Rehema followed the prearranged instructions and was met by her rescuers on her way to fetch water. She was taken to a safe house owned and maintained by the Evangelical church in Arusha.
For Rehema, the transition from her village to the city was akin to a dramatic change from day to night. Prior to her escape, she had never set foot in the city, leading to a significant cultural shock. However, the exhilaration of being mentally free far surpassed her fears.
A week after her escape, her pastor learned of her family’s search, and it was decided that she should be moved to another safe location.
Her situation improved with the news of the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Programme at the Kilimanjaro Institute of Development Studies (KIDS) in Moshi, Tanzania, which aimed to provide skills and knowledge to young girls from disadvantaged and marginalized backgrounds.
The Evangelical Pastor led her to Moshi to learn more about the programme and, fortunately, she was accepted as the last candidate. Rehema was also granted a place in the college’s safe house, where a small number of girls are housed for their safety within the college’s premises.
As Rehema embarked on her new life journey, she experienced a mix of excitement and fear; however, the management at KIDS provided support by reassuring her to take things at her own pace and that her safety was assured.
Three months into her new life, Rehema acquired significant knowledge and skills. She emerged as one of the top students in the programme, which greatly pleased her teachers and the sponsors, the Evangelical Church in Arusha.
Unfortunately, a tragedy struck four months into her training when she fell ill. It was discovered that Rehema had a rare blood type that was exceedingly difficult to find. This situation compelled the management of KIDS to reach out to the Evangelical Church, which in turn decided to contact her family.
By a stroke of fate, her family visited KIDS to provide the necessary blood for Rehema.
This reunion was particularly special, and her family was overjoyed to see how much Rehema had positively transformed. Both mother and daughter shed many tears, having missed each other dearly.
It was subsequently agreed that Rehema would be allowed to continue her training, with her family committing to support her needs. Additionally, it was decided that Rehema would undertake her internship in Arusha at the hotel owned by the Evangelical Church and, upon her graduation, she would be offered employment at the same establishment.
The KIDS Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Programme has rescued numerous young women from the perils of human trafficking and educational deprivation. Numerous young women have significantly changed their lives and those of their families through this programme, which has established itself as a dependable route to prosperity.
At present, KIDS provides Hotel Management training specifically designed for girls who aspire to join the hospitality industry or seek self-employment. In addition, complementary subjects such as Life Skills, English Language, and Computer Applications are incorporated. Counseling sessions are also available to support the mental well-being of the girls, as many have experienced abuse, including sexual abuse. KIDS also provide agricultural training for young girls, recognising that the agriculture sector is fundamental to society. The girls receive instruction in irrigation farming to ensure they are not reliant on seasonal rains. They cultivate tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, onions, salad, and other crops suitable for irrigation.
Rehema’s challenges reflect the experiences of many young women from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds who have been trapped in the cycle of human trafficking; however, KIDS stands as a viable solution to this pressing issue.
