NHIF Facility Selection
August 1, 2022
In 2019, I became the Head of the Gender Unit at LeMayian Hospital, a private Level 4 hospital outside Nairobi, Kenya. I collaborated with the staff to develop a program to address the impact of physical, emotional, and sexual violence on the women that came in for services. Although close to 50% of women and girls in Kenya are impacted by gender-based violence, most never talk with someone who can help.
I met Mercy (not her real name), who had come to the hospital for the first time. She had married a year earlier and was now pregnant with her first child. Every day, Mercy, and her siblings, watched their father beat their mother. No matter their efforts, the beatings continued even when her mother was pregnant.
One morning Mercy’s mother started running down a long dirt road to escape from an unusually severe beating and ended up giving birth to Mercy on the side of the road. The reality of how Mercy arrived in this world only marked the beginning for her – growing up in a family where terror, confusion, shame, and helplessness were daily companions. Her fear followed her into her marriage, and she asked if her husband would turn into her father, could she trust him to stay kind and loving?
Unlike many other stories, this one has a happy ending. Mercy now has a healthy, rambunctious 3 yr. old son with a loving husband whom she trusts. She thanked me again for helping her get the support and counselling she needed to reduce the impact of growing up a constant witness to gender-based violence. During that initial hospital visit 3 yrs. earlier, Mercy saw how the staff understood her journey and could help with the healing process. She is no longer fearful but a fierce advocate for women!
The Gender-Based Violence Program was piloted in 2019. It was successful in identifying survivors of gender-based violence and helping them get the services they needed. The foundational policies and procedures of this program are established, and we are seeking to more fully implement the program to provide – counselling, safety planning, aftercare, and referral for all survivors. The hospital also plans to create a short-term shelter program for women and their children providing necessities as well as routine medical treatment as needed free of charge. Through the program, LeMayian Hospital will ensure that it allows for a comprehensive approach critical to the prevention and intervention of GBV recognizing its deleterious effects on health, human rights, and security in the region.
Mercy’s journey to healing started with three simple questions from the nurse about her experiences with gender-based violence which resulted in life-changing services. This innovative program is the only one of its kind in Kenya and a model that can be replicated in other healthcare facilities.
In the first edition of the Rotary Peace Projects Incubator (RPPI), https://www.rppi.ch, I had the opportunity to present this project titled: Gender Violence: Hospital-Based Prevention, Treatment, and Safety Interventions in Kenya. The details can be found under the category of Saving Mothers and Children. This project was among the top five and designated as a “Laureate.” I will also present this program in the second edition of the RPPI 2022 which seeks to continue the development of peace projects that are tailored to address urgent community needs.
Violence against women and girls is endemic in every country and has long been considered an epidemic. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 3 women worldwide is impacted by physical and sexual violence. As a result of COVID, such violence shot up exponentially around the world leading the United Nations to label it the “shadow pandemic.” Furthermore, sexual and gender-based violence undermines the long-term security and stability of countries.
The Kenyan Ministry of Public Service and Gender Affairs reported a 42% increase in GBV cases in March 2020 alone and most startling was the surge in teen pregnancies with 4,000 being recorded in Machakos County an area served by LeMayian Hospital. In June, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered an investigation into the rising violence against women and girls – citing rape, domestic violence, female genital cutting, early teenage pregnancies, and child marriages.
Whether you are Rotarians who are engaged in solutions that support maternal and child health or simply passionate and committed to keeping women and children safe, the Gender-Based Violence Program at LeMayian Hospital provides an innovative solution where the need is critical. Mercy is only one example of the thousands of women in Kenya who could be helped with your support. We need your help to implement and grow this program and make it a replicable model for other health care facilities throughout Africa!
I leave you with these words from Virginia Nduta, Executive Director of Women Empowerment Link (WEL), “How would the world talk of peace if there is none at home? The Kenyan woman will need to know she has peace at home.”
Kathy Doherty
Head-Gender Unit
LeMayian Hospital
WhatsApp +1773 960 3375
