Kenya loses an estimated Sh41 billion economically every year to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Femicide, according to the Technical Working Group on GBV including Femicide, led by Dr. Nancy Baraza. These losses result from disrupted livelihoods, increased healthcare costs, lost productivity, and unrealized economic potential. Behind that figure are real women whose skills, income, and aspirations are interrupted by violence, limiting not only individual futures but also national development.
One of those women is Elizabeth Wanjiku and her journey shows what is possible when survivors are supported to rebuild.
Elizabeth Wanjiku’s hands don’t just braid hair they build confidence, livelihoods, and new beginnings. At 29, the mother of one from Gatukuyu, Gatundu North in Kiambu County, is steadily shaping a future grounded in skill, dignity, and purpose.
Like many women, Elizabeth’s journey has not been easy. She navigated a period of harm linked to gender-based violence (GBV) while carrying the responsibility of raising her child and sustaining an income. Rather than allowing those challenges to define her future, she sought pathways to safety, healing, and economic independence.
Her turning point came when a Nyumba Kumi community responder mapped her case and connected her to GROOTS Kenya’s community responders.
"“When I joined the life skills training, I saw other survivors like myself. For the first time, I felt peace and reassurance that I was not alone,” Elizabeth recalls. “It opened my mind and gave me comfort. That’s when my healing journey began."
Elizabeth had always dreamed of becoming a hairdresser, but limited resources kept that passion out of reach. To support herself and her child, she sold smokies late into the night unsafe hours for a young mother and work that left her exhausted and anxious.
Through GROOTS Kenya under the Jasiri Program, she was connected to a master craftsperson for a three-month apprenticeship in hairdressing and beauty. She trained, completed her attachment, and proudly earned her certification.
What began as a skill quickly became a tool for restoration, rebuilding her confidence, income, and sense of control over her life.
After relocating to Gatundu North, Elizabeth secured work at a salon, where she now specializes in hair, nails, and facials. Today, she balances her role as a professional and a mother with renewed confidence.
Her transformation is not only economic , it is deeply personal.
“Before, I had to borrow even for small things like transport or clothes. Today, I can buy my own essentials, provide pampers for my baby, and ensure he eats three steady meals. That is the biggest change for me.”
With a weekly profit of about KES 3,000, Elizabeth now enjoys financial independence and dignity. Even more valuable, her new schedule allows her to spend quality time with her child, something her late-night hustle never allowed.
What makes Elizabeth most proud is the ripple effect of her journey. Just two months into her new role, she has already begun training another student, turning her experience into an opportunity to uplift others.
“To me, this is what change looks like. I am no longer just surviving ,I am helping others rise."
She is no longer only rebuilding her life; she is contributing to the growth of other women walking similar paths.
Elizabeth dreams of owning her own salon within the next year and training more young women. To her, empowerment is not just about sustaining her family ,it is about creating safe, dignified spaces where survivors can rebuild their lives with skills, hope, and income.
She is no longer defined by what she survived, but by the future she is building for herself, her child, and for others who dare to dream again.
Her story reminds us that every survivor carries not only scars, but also seeds of strength that, when nurtured, can transform families, communities, and economies.
