Rape and Murder of Two-Year Old Girl in Kenya Inspires V-Day Nairobi to Raise $5000 for Local Center and V-Day Safe House

V-Day Nairobi Press Release
V-DAY 2004 NAIROBI

In Nairobi the need to celebrate V-Day was triggered by the horrific and brutal rape and murder of an innocent 2-year-old girl in Kikuyu division on the 18th of March. The story, which made headlines on all the local press, shocked the everyone by the sheer magnitude of its brutality. Investigations are on going but so far they have not arraigned anyone in court on the charges. Earlier this year the papers once again highlighted the story of another minor who had been brutally raped by a neighbour. The little girl survived her ordeal and the man guilty of the crime was swiftly apprehended and convicted of defiling a minor and got a life sentence.

Since then a lot has been done to help curb this crime. In October the police launched an all female police squad to deal with cases of rape to be based at the Kilimani Police station and last week we saw the launch of the spider unit which includes female police women who are targeting rapist. This proves that the work of those concerned to see an end to violence against women has been fruitful.

The show which was held at the carnivore raised Ksh 305,607 (US$ 5055.64)

Beneficiaries of V-Day 2004

The main beneficiary was the Nairobi womens Hospital Gender Recovery Centre. The centre which is located at hurlingham centre has catered for women who have suffered violence from domestic violence to rape. They offer high quality medical service and also provide victims with information on the next step forward.

Our second beneficiary is The Tasaru Ntomonok Initiative.

Tasaru Ntomonok is located in Narok in Rift Valley Province and runs a safe house for girls escaping circumcision and forced early marriages. The initiative is the inspiration of Ms. Agnes Pareyio. Ms. Pareyio is a former associate of the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake organisation's innovative Alternative Rites of Passage programme. After leaving Maendeleo, Agnes began a programme to introduce the alternative rites of passage for female adolescents as an alternative to the hazardous procedure of circumcision among the Maasai. Eve Ensler the founder of the vagina monologues has supported this safe house and even has a dormitory named after her. 10% of the proceeds raised went to the initiative.

16 days of activitism

As the world celebrates 16 days of activisim against gender violence. We would like to take this opportunity to present the plan for V-Day 2005 which promises to be bigger than this years.

Mumbi Kaigwa, the woman brave enough to have taken on the V-Day event in Kenya in 2003 will be taking over as organizer in 2005. On the 26th November at Nairobi Women’s Hospital at 2:30 we shall present the check from V-Day 2004 to the gender recovery centre.

V-Day 2004 supported those who have supported the end to violence against women. We thank all those who came out to support the show at the carnivore and raise money for a worthy cause.

In every community there are humble activists working every day, beat by beat, to undo suffering. They sit by hospital beds, pass new laws, chant taboo words, write proposals, beg for money, demonstrate and hold vigils in the streets. Every woman has a warrior inside waiting to be born. In order to guarantee a world without violence, in a time of danger and escalating madness we urge them to come out.

-Eve Ensler

Lorna Irungu
V-Day organizer 2004