Testimonials:

Esther Marimu (Director – Lucky Shamir Junior Academy)

These skills are life-saving because unlike one being told what to do after something bad has happened, we are prepared on how to handle situations both physically and verbally. I have seen it work in the lives of many pupils in my school and I am so grateful for the instructors who came over to offer such services.
I myself have never thought of something to do with self-defense or simple techniques as such that can help me while in trouble especially us women or my girls here in school because it is known that women are weak beings. But now that I have taken this classes together with my pupils, I believe that I’m worth defending and my security is my responsibility-I will not allow anyone to violate or abuse me in any way because I have a right to defend myself.

Nicole From Young Women in Leadership Initiative (YWLI)

She was carjacked before she took the self-defense classes, but after taking the self-defense classes she realized that it is very easy for one to get out of a situation so long as you believe in your self and she vowed that anytime she finds herself in such a situation, she will be able to fight back because she now has all the skills.

Damaris Mungai
Program Associate
UNEP-Kenya Country Programme
Regional Officer for Africa (ROA)
“ The defense skills are spot on and must admit-many need this just to feel empowered. I actually used the thumb twist and turn on someone on that same day and it was powerful. Am very grateful for the opportunity and hope to provide a forum where more of the people I care for can benefit”

Els Breet
Transport Unit
Division of Technology, Industry and Economic-UNEP
Nairobi, Kenya
Thank you again for the great training last Friday (19th June 2009). Keep up the good work.

Angela Mackay
Gencap
Gender Adviser
Based on your obvious enjoyment and my own positive response to this session I shall organize another basic session for those who were unable to attend. Following that I am hoping that Self-Defense Skills can take ownership of this training and be responsible for the organization, publicity and transport for our friends at IWD, and arrange with the Recreation Centre to offer basic and more advanced sessions on a regular basis. In future, payment will be required to ensure IWD makes something for their trouble.
A number of you had ideas about spreading the word, and/or requesting IWD to run sessions for different groups in future. I suggest you contact IWD directly through Phil.

Millicent Mwololo
Living Magazine-Daily Nation
I congratulate IWD team for the good work that they are doing-teaching lifeskills, giving hope and restoring life to abused children and adults.
It is commendable!
A source, has hinted to me that IWD is the organization that rescued Hildah from the brutality of her neighbors, the police and all that she went through.

Lydia Wambui Wachira
I am a lady age 32 years. I wish to congratulate your organization for the good work it is doing to help both young and old ladies on how to fight or handle a rapist.
I came across the story in Parents Magazine of this Month (April 2009) and was really concerned having come from Naivasha area, where rape cases are reported daily or happens and goes without reporting.

I wish to request if you would extend your organization here in Naivasha so that you can help save those young school girls, young ladies, old ladies not leaving behind married women who face this through home raids.

Again I congratulate you. Looking forward to your reply. I hope you shall take my request into consideration. Thank you in advance.

Loise Nyambene, 15 yr old girl
A fortnight ago, I was abducted by a gang of four boys who said they wanted me to cooperate and walk with them to a deserted structure down here in Korogocho. This they did with one of them holding a knife to my back amid curses and threats. I wasn’t sure whether they wanted to rape me or not, but all I knew was they meant harm. I walked on for several yards and when the opportunity came, I elbowed the one holding the weapon hard on the chin and took –off yelling at the top of my voice. Luckily the corridors are too narrow for any two people to run side by side and with one of their own wounded between us; they had no chance of catching me. I ran to safety, thanks to self-defense”.

13 year old girl, IWD student
It was during the post-election Violence period and I was alone at home. My parents had fled from home in fear of being attacked by our enraged neighbors. A gang of rowdy youths came to our house looking for my father but he was nowhere to be found. After they had left, one of them, who apparently happened to be our next door neighbor came back and tried to drag me into his house. His main intention was to rape me for he even tried to talk me into having sex with him but I declined. He tried by all means to push me into his house but failed. It was after this that a fight broke between us and using the eye-poke, followed by a hammer-fist to the head sent him to the ground. I ran to safety leaving him behind writhing in pain. I was safe then but wasn’t sure for how long, so like my parents I went into hiding.

Mary Wangui (Mama Nyash)
Hey, my name is Mary Wangui (Mama Nyash), I’m 66 years of age I’ve been attending the IWD Shosho’s class for the past one year, it has been of great help to me because now I’m able to defend myself without fear.

One evening I was at my place with two of my grand children when I heard a commotion outside my compound. As soon as I opened the door my daughter in-law fell inside shouting for help saying he was going to kill her. I did not hesitate and pulled her inside as I was trying to question her about who it was. Just then somebody pushed me from behind - immediately as I felt that hand, I attacked and within seconds I had almost killed him. He was shouting and called out “mummy its me your son,” I was shocked and asked him why he was beating up his wife! I was sorry that I attacked my son , but on the other hand I am now confident because I know that I can defend myself and my family too. Thanks to IWD.

Acquirilyn
My name is Acquirilyn I’m 58 years old, there was this one time when I was very sick and weak the only thing I could do was sleep. On this particular day I was asleep, I felt someone touch my breast. His hands were moving up and down. I forced my eyes to open and I saw this young man seated besides me, I could not talk, my heart was beating so fast and thought that I was going to die. Then I remembered “stay calm and strategize, I knew that I did not have enough strength to fight this guy and I could not yell so I opened my mouth and said to him, “young man please help me with some water to drink and help me sit up, I’m so sick and no one comes to look after me I think you’re God-sent, please come here my angel,” the look on the guys face was that of pity he gave me water and then left immediately without hurting or taking anything from me.

A. Emali, 23

On the night of 6th September, 2008 our client was returning home from work at 10:00pm she was stopped by four men who attempted to rape her. She toiled to negotiate with them and they refused to listen to her, she identified the ring leader of the group and decided to fight for her life, her bottom line was “I’d rather die than be raped.” She hit the leader so hard on the groin and before the rest knew what was happening Anne ran away so fast, luckily a police van which was on patrol saved her. She later reported the matter to the police.

Teen boy, Njathaini Primary School IWD Student:

“ Following the session, I now view life from a different perspective; AIDS is real and its out to kill; each one of us has just one life to live and once it’s gone, it’s gone. It has no rehearsal”

IWD client F. Wacera. A 28 Year old woman:

She came to our office looking old and beat although she is only 28 years old. Her husband is an alcoholic and a gambler; He comes home drunk almost every night and make a lot of noise waking up the children and the neighbors. This night, as usual, he came home shouting and hurling insults. She went and opened the door for him but little did she know that her husband had bet on her after losing all the money, He walked in furious, and began punching her so hard that she passed out. When she regained consciousness she was naked, four of her husband’s friends were seated there laughing and making fun of her. Her husband told them ‘’just as we had agreed. There you are that’s your price I owe you nothing.” The four men raped her repeatedly till morning and the worst thing is that she did not go to hospital neither did she speak to anyone due to her depression.

Two weeks after the incidence she saw an article in the Parents’ magazine about IWD and decided to come to our office for help. After counseling she mastered the courage to leave the husband. Next, we referred her to Kenyatta National Hospital Patient Support Center for further treatment and counseling.

R. Omwami - 9 Years old:

Her mother works as a barmaid in a local nightclub, so she is away every other night. She was doing fine until her mother befriended one of the male Neighbors, He would come over when the mother was around to chat and have lunch together. Her mother told her that he was her new uncle and whatever he told or ask of her she should do it no questions asked. He started coming over when her mother was not around. One day he bought her red panties and told her to try them on see whether they fit. That’s when it all began. “Come here ‘’sweetie’’ you even look better than your mother.” The following morning when the girl tried to talk to her mother she was punished for being disrespectful. Two days later the uncle was back this time round he raped her, it went on for some time until the TELL Campaign that’s when the girl heard about tell and tell until you get help. She came to us and told us everything, we went to the area chief and reported the matter. The mother and the uncle were arrested.

Sheila:

A lady aged 31 named Sheila who lives in Korogocho told me a very moving story of how she was able to save herself from a rapist this is the story. “On the 31st August 2008 night at around five o’clock at night I was coming from a pub where I had gone to have fun with my friends, as we were going home we were accosted by three men who had knives. My friends lost their mobile phones, the guy who grabbed my hand took me to a secluded place and threatened to kill me if I screamed, he told me to take off my pants. I really struggled with the guy and was yelling at the top of my voice. The guy saw people coming to my rescue so he stabbed me on the thigh and run away. I was rescued and taken to the hospital. I’m happy to be alive and thanks to I’m Worth Defending team for giving me training on Self –Defense techniques.”

Miriam IWD staff instructor:

We were in Mombasa doing working for a couple of days and everyday we got disrespect from men! They were calling us all sorts of names. One day we had just done a class at Magongo and a guy decided to take a piece of our equipment. We tried taking to him politely but he was very arrogant - he even spat on us. He turned around and started running away. Emily and I ran after him and noticed that no one was willing to come to our aid. People were just laughing. We caught up with him and wrestled him to the ground. He stood up and tried to punch Emily but to his surprise he received a hammer fist blow and went tumbling to the ground. I grabbed our equipment and we went away walking majestically. Those who were laughing were shocked. They didn’t believe women could fight.

Wambui 28 years:
One day I was coming home from town, I boarded a matatu that had this crazy tout but I choose not to pay attention to him, he asked for our fares and everybody started paying, I gave a two hundred note and waited for my change, as I was about to alight I asked for my change but the guy said I didn’t give hundred shilling and demanded that I alight, I stood my ground and told him I’m not moving without my change, he grabbed in a way that I did not like. I said to him “would you kindly please stop grabbing me like a thief and give me my change,” he said in Kiswahili “Malaya shuka upesi,” which means “You prostitute can you alight,” he insulted me and I was really hurt and I couldn’t take this anymore, I shouted at the driver to stop the matatu (car), as soon as the matatu was stopped the tout grabbed me but I said enough was enough I poked his eyes and pushed him out of the matatu, he grabbed my foot as he fell and we fell together, while I was down there I used my axe kick and for a moment the other passenger thought that the tout was dead, he was so still I did not wait to see if he was ok, I asked the driver for my change which he gave me without questions and I left the scene a hero.

IWD Team member:

It was a day after the team had arrived in Mombasa, I had arrived there earlier so I knew the place and I wanted to familiarize the team with the surroundings, the IWD girls left for a walk and as we were coming back there came this guy who tried to pick-pocket Maggie’s phone. Immediately Maggie realized that the guy’s hand was in her pocket she alerted us by yelling, she then grabbed the guy with one hand as she tried to hand me something she was holding, the pick-pocketer tried to run but we run after him. Maggie attacked the guy using snap-kick and I came in, I can’t remember exactly what technique I used but my hands and feet were all over the guy, at one time broke his rib, lucky for him a watchman came to his rescue and we got Maggie’s phone back.

Miriam IWD Staff:

It was on a Saturday afternoon when me and my daughter went out for swimming because she wanted to, so I took her to a public place where one pays Ksh 50, my daughter was having fun when this boy started fondling her butt, she shouted to tell me that “mum this boy is touching my butt,” my daughter is only 7 years old and this boy is like 15 years. I grabbed the boy from the pool and took him to his parents and his parents forced him to come and apologize to my baby. I’m glad that I’ve been able to teach my daughter how to be assertive and to tell when somebody is touching you where you don’t like.

Hellen 25 years of age:

It happened in one of the villages called Ngomongo in Korogocho, where a man who has been married around three years decided to abuse his wife sexually. He used to tie her legs apart so that whenever he felt like abusing her sexually, he could just come in and do it.

All this took place during day because the husband used to work at night. He warned her not to make noise or say anything to the neighbors. The neighbors (women) decided to inquire on what was wrong with their friend. When the husband left they immediately entered in the woman’s house and found her tied up. They got mad and decided to do something. The action was led by a woman who took Self-defense classes last year. They made sure that husband faced the charges, t is now apprehended.

80 year old Grandmother:

80 years Grandma was raped in the wee hours of Monday morning which she was attending her Shamba (farm) b a young youth aged 22 years. She was left there unconscious (fainted) and her life sipping away from her body. But luckily some of our shosho’s (who have/had done shosho’s class came to her rescue and reported the incident to us and we took her to Nairobi Women’s hospital then reported/filed the case in our nearby police post. Its good to see that our Grandma’s (shosho’s) due to their class and the know-how that has been realized this incident was reported and very soon the assailant will be apprehended.

IWD staff:

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon at exactly 2:00pm when one of our Day Care mothers came rushing to my place and called upon me and my colleague (IWD Staff) in an incident that happened the previous day on Saturday. A child aged 10 years was defiled and after the family reported the incident to the nearby police, the assailant was apprehended only to be released. Thereafter we mobilized ourselves and pursued the case. We were able to follow-up this case due to the awareness that was created by IWD team through Tell and Tell Campaign and this community’s physical training.

Mary Mukango:

My name is Mary Mukango I am 64 years of old, I have realized that young men nowadays don’t respect the elderly. I know this because one day I was in my garden which is isolated; I was tending to my crops with no worry. Little did I know that someone was watching me. Suddenly I heard something move in the bush and when I went to check what it was, a young man the same age as my grandson pounced on me. He ordered me to take off my panties, he told me he has been watching me and he thinks I can be very sweet. From the look of things I have gone back to being a virgin so he’s really going to enjoy. He told me even old cats do drink milk so he is going to fill me with his holy water. I tried to stay clam because in our self defense classes with IWD we were taught to always stay calm because once you panic you are bound to make mistakes that could cost you your life. So I started talking to him making him promise that whatever we were about to do was going to be our little secret and that I also wanted to enjoy my self with a young man. I led him under a tree where I told him we were going to be comfortable. I took my walking stick and followed him. When he turned around I went for his knee with all the strength in me. I was yelling like crazy and people from the neighboring gardens came to my aid. He was beaten so bad that when we got to the hospital he died six hours later.

13 year old girl:

A girl 13 years old living at Korogocho (Ngomongo village) was sexually abused for three months by a neighbor but she did not share it with her mother until she was pregnant. When mother inquired about the pregnancy she confessed that a neighbor had been defiling her, she was so devastated her mother didn’t know what to do. A woman friend told her about I’m Worth Defending. She came to the office and we counseled the young girl who had suicidal thoughts. After talking to the girl at length she requested we take her to an organization that deals with young girls who get pregnant. The organization is called Crisis Centre in Westlands, Kenya. The mother is very grateful to I.W.D and it’s her prayer that we widen our wings to other places.

24 year old lady from Mathare North Area 1:

Two months ago my friend and I had gone to a party. At first things looked fine but as time went on it started being boring and we decided to leave for a different joint. While on our way to the bus stop we were accosted by two guys. They looked normal to us but we were in for a surprise. They asked us to accompany them to their place for the rest of the night but we asserted our position. They got rowdy -calling us prostitute and claiming we had to deliver the services since we had received money from them in exchange for sex. They manhandled us shouting at the top of their voices as vehicles sped-by. One male motorist even slowed-down and asked whether the guys needed any help with us. The guys said no -meaning they had no problem handling the situation.

It dawned on us that our situation was getting worse and we resolved to do what was right for us - fight. We struggled for a while and somehow both of us were free with the guys flawed. We took off as fast as we could to our safety. Thanks to the IWD for the self defense classes. The grab releases and punches provided worked. Believe for yourself, they worked for us and they can work for you as well.

Veronica:

This is a testimony narrated by one of the elderly women (Veronica 63 years of age) who has been attending our self defense classes. It was late in the evening as she was preparing supper that she heard a girl screaming from outside and became concerned about it. She got outside and to her surprise she found a young girl struggling with two men who were trying to force her into something that she didn’t want probably sex.

She took a stone and threw it at them but it landed on the roof of some one else’s house (a neighbor) who came outside complaining. She also saw the girl struggling herself and started screaming. One of the men ran towards Veronica’s house and she, being alert of the situation, managed to hit him hard, on the knee, using her cane. At the same time she began yelling which brought the attention of other neighbors who came out to help. Fortunately the man whose knee was dislocated was taken to the police station. The other man had already disappeared, but was later identified and taken to the police station.

Sylvana:

My name is Sylvana, I’m 68 years of age, self defense has been of great help to me because I’ve been able to defend myself from my own son who wanted to rape me.

One day my son came home drunk and asked me for food, it was vey late at about 10:00pm so I requested him to come back tomorrow during the day.I refused to open the door the following evening he came a bit earlier before we had slept, he told me that he’s not leaving and that I should start preparing bed because he’s sleeping with me tonight and I thought that I had him wrong and asked him again and he repeated the same and this time he said it in a violent way and I said to myself that I have to strategize and think of what I’m going to do.

I asked him how can you do this to your mother, and he said that even old cats can drink milk and I was shocked, I looked at my son and pitied him because I knew what I was about to do to him. My self defense teacher said that you should always be aware of your surroundings, I knew my house well so I reached out in a corner and pulled out my hammer and straight went for his knees he screamed out so loudly that the neighbors asked what I was doing to him, to this day he respect me as a son should.

Maryanne Kawira:

My name is Maryanne Kawira 43 years of age what am about to tell you really hurts because it happened to my sister. She had a son whom she really loved to the point of letting him stay with her despite his age. Her husband died while this son was in high school. After he finished school he got a good job with a big company, he earned enough money to support himself but my sis didn’t want him to leave home so his money was for having fun with the ladies. It got to a point where alcohol was not enough and he turned to hard drugs and watching very strange movies with naked people. He started looking at his mother differently.

He decided to spike her tea with drugs. My sister started complaining that every bit of her body was hurting, it went on for a few months and she didn’t know what was happening so we decided to take her to hospital. She was admitted and after a few tests the doctor came back with the result- she was two months pregnant and that’s when she realized that it was her son. She went into depression and was unable to overcome the pain and she died.

We never talked about it as a family and it was swept under the carpet. When I first attended the IWD self defense class I cried all night because I realized that we did the wrong thing regarding my sister’s case. I went to the police and her son was arrested but they told me I didn’t have much of a case. Now I know that the IWD class I took was not only for me, I can help my neighbors and friends.

9 year old boy:

A young boy aged 9 years old form a School known as Lucky Junior Academy was nearly abducted when he was playing outside his home in Kariobangi South. A man who posed as a relative (uncle) approached him and tried to entice him with treats but his ploys were thwarted when the boy screamed, threw sand into his eyes and made a scene and the neighbors came out. This was due to the Self Defense classes that he had received a few months ago. The matter was then reported to the police station.