Last year,
I saw a Twitter account pop up on my timeline named “@NjeriWaMigwi”.
Like I always do, I clicked on it and went through the contents of this account.
That’s how I ended up liking this content and the lady owning and utilizing this account, Njeri wa Migwi!
And literally, stalking her everywhere (in a good way) including on IG! (hihi, sorry about that, Njeri).
Photo credit: X.com
Somewhere in the biography of her Twitter account, you may come across this statement,
“Together we can end Sexual and Gender Based Violence”.
It is at this juncture that I pause a little and caution you to proceed carefully navigating this blog post about Njeri, her life and the lifesaving + changing work she is doing.
You may be triggered in a bad way by particular words or photographs you come across here!
For as long as you will come across Njeri,
You will come across the name “Usikimye”.
Usikimye means “do not be silent” in Swahili.
Photo credit: Wokaen
Usikimye is a survivor – centered organization in Kenya working on the prevention and support of victims of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
Njeri is a co-founder of this institution alongside Stella Khachina.
To paint a picture of the kind of work these great people at Usikimye do, they receive approximately 150 rescue calls per day on social media, email and phone call!
Photo credit: VOA
Defenders Coalition writes about our Njeri like this,
“The idea of coming up with safe houses for victims of SGBV sparked when she was experiencing SGBV but had nowhere to call home away from the perpetrators. She realized that many victims and survivors of SGBV lacked a place to rest while they were seeking mechanisms to hold the perpetrators to account.
She quickly closed the gap and established Usikimye.
Njeri is a firm believer of bouncing back from the moments of darkness associated with the SGBV.
Photo credit: The Star
Her love for defending and promoting other people’s rights does not end there. She has a soft spot for children. Together with others, Njeri co-founded Mama Rescue, an organization that responds to children in distress. She also supports a feeding programme, where at least 4000 mouths are fed every week. Njeri also helped establish a mobile library and arts program to give alternative learning models for kids to kids and have fun while at it.
Through her leadership, Usikimye rescued numerous women and girls, children and infants. While her passion lies in women, she has never shied from rescuing men in violent relationships. Through her leadership, they have re-homed various members of the LGBTQ community to different neighborhoods due to an escalating corrective violation such as the gang rape silent pandemic.
Her work is guided by the awareness she has around SGBV issues. She employs community centered practices that ensure that local problems are addressed using locally available response mechanisms for reprieve. She hopes that her advocacy work will bear fruit at the preventive level where attitudes surrounding harmful cultural practices that perpetuate SGBV are completely eliminated”.
Also,
Did you that our queen here thrives in humour, is an avid RPG (Role Playing Game) gamer and is an avid LOTR (Lord Of The Rings) fan?
Oops, before I forget and run away to my next assignment of the day,
Have I told you about what has been done to over 28 women in Kenya, this year alone?
See, over 28 women have been killed in Kenya in the month of January 2024 alone and it’s just so sick!
Photo credit: Wokaen
Njeri and a group of other women (who I don’t know much about yet BUT adore and hold in very high esteem) literally rallied all of us in Kenya, beyond the geographical borders of Kenya and the rest of the world in marching for our lives!
See, this kind of march happened in 2019 but on a smaller scale (according to many Kenyans who participated in it and this year’s march).
Photo credit: Citizen Digital
The one that happened last month was something else!
Big big numbers of people on ground in Kenya, on the internet and even elsewhere in other foreign countries.
Photo credit: Al Jazeera
I followed and still follow every detail of this march, right from the organizing to the actual execution of it all, through the eyes on Njeri’s X account!
Everything is earmarked using the two hashtags: #EndFemicideKe and #TotalShutDownKE!
The pressure is on now, to deal with all perpetrators of violence against women, from all corners!
Photo credit: Wokaen
I will let you do your own following of this lady.
To you Njeri, I see you and I love you big big time!