Editorial

13-Year-Old Rape Survivor Braves Through Caesarean Section To Sit For KCPE Exams.

Just a day after 13-year-old *Anne Mwende gave birth to her 3kg son through Caesarean section, she was ready to hit the road, to sit for her KCPE exams. “We

  • PublishedNovember 2, 2017

Just a day after 13-year-old *Anne Mwende gave birth to her 3kg son through Caesarean section, she was ready to hit the road, to sit for her KCPE exams.

“We had to change hospitals after her procedure, otherwise she would miss the exams,” says her guardian, Wings of Compassion co-founder Dorcas Njoroge.

Photos/Courtesy

Anne gave birth at Ruaraka Rehema Uhai hospital in Nairobi. However, she could not sit for her exams there since she had been registered in Murang’a County.

With instructions from the area’s district education officer, she had to be transferred to a hospital in the county.

“We moved her to Kenol hospital in Murang’a on Monday. By Tuesday morning, an invigilator and security personnel had been put in place to give her a crash rehearsal programme. Thirty minutes later, she started her first paper,” says Dorcas.

Photos/Courtesy

Doctors had initially told Anne that she was due on the 10th of November.

She unexpectedly went into labour on the 29th of October.

“We suspect that anxiety linked to the exams is what may have pushed her into early labour. Prince Danshire was born on Sunday at noon,” shares Dorcas.

Looking for daddy led to rape

 Anne has been living at the Wings of Compassion girls’ rescue home for the past one year.

 Her mother passed on two years ago, leaving her and her siblings in the hands of her father, said to be a drunkard.

On the day she was raped, she had been out looking for him in the streets, to give her money for food. A familiar looking man offered to help.

“The man told her that her father was doing a grass-cutting job in one of the area farms and was willing to take her there. He kidnapped her instead. He kept her locked in his house for four days before releasing her,” says Dorcas.

It was her teacher who noticed her bulging belly, four months later.

She called the local area’s children’s office and Anne was taken to Wings of Compassion.

According to Dorcas, the perpetrator had threatened to hurt Anne if she ever spoke of the incident.

To date, Anne cannot remember where his house is or his face clearly.

Against All Odds

 Anne’s story is one of resilience.

She has been able to sit through most of her papers but not without challenges.

Photos/Courtesy

“She has to take breaks to breastfeed, rest and for the nurses to tend to her wounds,” says Dorcas. She adds,

“She also has to change the maternity pads from time to time. Sometimes she feels dizzy and has to take a break. She had a terrible headache as she sat for her Insha exam on Wednesday. We pray for her and support her through it all.

Anne wants to be a lawyer in future.

Wings of Compassion

Rev Danshire and Dorcas Njoroge, run the rescue home, Wings of Compassion.

Many pregnant teenage girls (sometimes even younger) seek refuge at the home.

While some are orphans, many are often kicked out of their homes by their guardians due to their pregnancies.

(You can read more about Wings of Compassion here)

-*name changed to protect identity

 

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