Florence Faces Poverty & Harmful Traditional Practices
Growing up in Kenya, Florence was surrounded by devastating poverty. Her mother, the ninth wife of Florence’s father, had six children to raise, and was often unable to provide for their basic needs like food and clothing.
Florence knew going to school could help her achieve a brighter future beyond poverty. But her father disagreed. Girls in their community weren’t supposed to go to school. Instead, they were meant to marry young.
“My father did not believe that education was necessary for girls. I had to sneak to school and return unnoticed. One day, I forgot to change out of my school uniform and my father saw me. He was angry and beat me up for bringing disgrace to the family.” — Florence
After her father’s death, Florence was able to openly attend school to the disgust of her elder brothers. While her mother supported her education, her older brother was now the head of the family and disagreed with Florence’s pursuits.
FGM & Child Marriage Endanger Florence
When Florence turned 9-years-old, her family planned a female genital mutilation (FGM) ceremony for her, a brutal practice involving the partial or complete cutting away of the external genitalia.
In some cultures, FGM is viewed as a rite of passage from girlhood to womanhood. Sadly, while FGM became illegal in Kenya in 2011, it’s still performed today.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 230 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Traditionally, FGM also signals a girl’s readiness for marriage. While child marriage is decreasing, data shows that one million Kenyan girls were married before the age of 15 in 2022.
Although she was only in third grade, Florence discovered that after she underwent FGM, she would be married too.
“An old man from a neighboring village had approached my family to arrange a marriage with me. He wanted me to be his fourth wife.” — Florence
Florence’s older brother, now head of the family, had already accepted half of the customary “bride price” from the man, which included camels, cows and goats. According to tradition, after the ritual of FGM, she would become the man’s property.
Courageous Florence Flees to Fight for Her Future
In desperation and hope that her future could be different, Florence ran away from home.
“I did not want to be married early because it would shatter all my dreams. I ran away from home, living with well-wishers and teachers who supported my desire to complete my education and make something of myself.” — Florence
Her courage paid off. Florence continued going to school and flourished. After secondary school, she enrolled in a teacher’s college and later graduated with a degree in education. She then married the man of her own choice — a privilege few women her age knew.
Florence was the first and only girl in her father’s family to complete her education.
Over time, a desire to help those around her took root in her heart. Florence realized she could use her past experiences to bring hope to her community.
With the credentials, platform and support she needed to succeed, Florence began to effect change, opening a rescue center for girls.
Florence Rescues Girls From FGM & Child Marriage
Florence now leads and teaches in a primary school in an impoverished community in Kenya. While children come to the school to learn, many come for rescue too. The school is a haven for girls at-risk of FGM and child marriage.
Girls scheduled for FGM will flee there for safety. Young married girls experiencing abuse or violence, as well as boys who are victims of child labor will seek shelter there too.
Through Florence’s hard work, more than 150 young girls have been rescued from FGM and child marriage. Several of those girls have moved forward to attend secondary school as well as college, inspired by Florence to chase their dreams.
Florence’s Work Is Not Without Risk
Cultural norms can be difficult to change. Florence has experienced threats and violence as she works to help children in need.
In a past experience, men confronted Florence at the school. They had come to claim the wife promised by her family to a member of the group, a 14-year-old girl who had sought protection from Florence.
The group accused Florence of undermining their culture and threated to teach her a lesson by beating her. However, the other teachers protected her and police arrived in time to prevent any violence.
Despite the danger, Florence remains committed to her mission of protecting the most vulnerable.
Partnering With Compassion to Protect Even More Children
In 2016, Florence’s church partnered with Compassion to open a child development center in the community. As a champion of children, Florence became the chair of the committee overseeing the center that serves hundreds of local children in Compassion’s program.
Through the center, Florence helps ensure that children receive ongoing education about their rights. She’s also making sure parents receive training about the dangers of FGM.
“We understand that the key to dealing with this problem is continuous education. We envision a future in which there will be a significant drop in the number of children that suffer FGM and early marriage.” — Florence
Caregivers of children served by the church sign commitments saying their children can attend school and won’t undergo harmful cultural practices.
“We take a zero-tolerance stance on child abuse, and we have made it clear to all our children’s caregivers that action will be taken against anyone who undermines the rights of a child.” — Florence
Through the love shown by Florence and the local church, an undeniable wave of change is sweeping through the community. Still, there is much more that must be done, and Florence is determined to keep fighting. She knows that the next generation of women need her voice, so they can have courage to stand up for others too.
