Her name is Paulyne and is the mother of one child. She has lived on the streets, cleaned toilets with her baby strapped to her back, is a victim of rape and abandonment.
Her story is one that is difficult to imagine for many people, but one that needs to be told.
In 2011 at the age of 19 Paulyne was raped by her mother’s brother. As a result of the rape she got pregnant and at the same time was infected with HIV leading to AIDS. After the rape she told her mother about it. Unfortunately, her mother was not willing to face her brother or the community at large about what had happened. Her mother went as far as refusing to seek treatment for Paulyne, and did not allow her to go out of the house for 3 months. Paulyne began to feel sick. She was treated with herbal medicine, which obviously did not heal the problem. Eventually, Paulyne’s mother took her to a government facility where she was confirmed to be pregnant and positive for AIDS.
After discovering that she was pregnant and positive for AIDS, Paulyne’s mother sent her out of the house to live on the streets of Baringo, Kenya saying that she was a prostitute.
Paulyne sought out a friend who helped her get treatment and a job in a hotel. She began taking ARV – a medication for AIDS and slowly accepted her situation. She gave birth to a baby boy but found it difficult to connect with the child given how he was conceived. We only have to put ourselves in Paulyne’s shoes to understand how she felt during that time.
During this time Paulyne thought it best to take him to live with her mother. Sadly, her mother did not want to raise the child. She then returned with her baby to her friend’s house where she had been staying. When the baby was 3 months he became epileptic. This caused the friend that Paulyne had been staying with to feel very uneasy about having the baby in her house.
Once again, Paulyne was forced to move. This time she moved from Baringo to Nakuru where no one knew who she was. She could have a fresh start in life. She lived on the streets for 6 months until she was able to secure a job cleaning toilets with her son strapped to her back. While at this job she met a woman, who was in her same situation and encouraged her to go to the Women Like Us Foundation. She has been at the center since May 2019.
Paulyne is receiving love and counseling to help her overcome her tragic history. She is also learning skills that will eventually help her secure a steady income and possibly give her the chance to have her own business. Her son is now 9 years old and is healthy. She still struggles to connect with him, but with time and the help of the Women like Us center, she will hopefully find the love for herself and her son.
Paulyne’s story is not exclusive. Unfortunately, stories like hers are far too common in Kenya. In fact, reports are that 14% of females, ages 15-49, have been victims of rape in their lifetime. More often than not, it is the victim who is blamed for the incident.