Ten years ago my mom and I arrived at midnight in Hekima Place for our winter break. I was 4 then. This was not my usual winter break of seeing family and opening presents. When I arrived in Nairobi that first time, I had no idea what to expect from the girls, the place or the founder Kate. We were 'welcomed' by two men holding enormous german shepherds. I was scared.
The next morning came around and I was very apprehensive about meeting the girls for the first time. I was walking from the guest house to the dining hall when at least five girls came running up to me and hugged me. I had no idea who they were, but they wanted to meet me, and were very happy to see me. One of the girls was Alliyan. Over the next few days we bonded like sisters over learning how to make bubbles from the soap we used to wash clothes.
By the end of the three weeks I lived with my Hekima 'sisters', I knew that I would be coming back. Halfway across the world, without access to technology Alliyan and I continue to write letters to each other.
Each time we return we are again greeted by all the girls running towards us and hugging us. Alliyan is taller, and there are always new girls to get to know.
Hekima Place is a safe and loving home for orphaned and vulnerable girls in Kiserian, Kenya. Current capacity is for about 100 girls. They welcome girls of all ages and backgrounds. Some of the girls have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS, while others have been forced into household servitude or ended up on the street. Hekima Place works with the local county District Children’s Office, so that the children in most urgent need of rescue and care can find refuge. The children arrive and are given the love and care they need to grow into curious, confident young women. They are surrounded by stable adults, including uncles who work in the field and moms who work in the kitchen and houses. www.hekimaplace.org
In 2013, an estimated 30% of girls in Kenya were thought to be illiterate and the number of girls in secondary school was less than 50%. These girls grow up at a disadvantage economically, politically, and socially, often for the rest of their lives. Even when girls are able to graduate from primary and secondary school, they continue to face daunting challenges. Without an advanced degree or certificate, underprivileged girls in Kenya face high unemployment rates and have little chance of breaking the cycle of poverty. www.unicef.org/infobycountry/kenya_statistics.html
