08/06/2026
At sixteen, the person who abused me was not a stranger. He was a neighbour, someone from my own community, and he did it repeatedly. When the pregnancy came, the cruelty did not stop with him. My uncle, the man paying for the roof over my head, drove me out of my grandmother's home the moment he found out. I ended up sleeping on a bare floor in a stranger's parlour, hiding myself away on the days I had no food, terrified of being seen.
Everything began to change when my case was referred to the Rainbo Centre. From the moment I arrived, I received psychosocial counselling, a full medical examination, food, and transport support. For the first time since the abuse, I felt seen and cared for. The team at Rainbo Centre did not just treat my wounds; they stood beside me for every step of what came next.
When it was discovered that I could not deliver my baby naturally, the Rainbo Centre paid for my surgery. They had already paid for my scan and provided all my medications throughout and after my pregnancy. I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Throughout it all, I continued going to school, sat my BECE examinations while pregnant, and have since resumed classes. I am now in SSS I.
Rainbo Initiative did not stop there. They enrolled me in the Self-Help Group, where I attend regular meetings and feel part of a community again. Through one of their partner programmes, I now receive a monthly social income of Le 800 for 36 months, providing stability and allowing me to support my son and continue my education.
Today, I have returned to live with my grandmother. I am healing, my son is growing, and I am preparing for a future I once could not imagine.
"What happened to me does not define where I am going. Through the care and support of the Rainbo Initiative, I found my dignity again, and I am not letting it go."
My story is proof that even when the people closest to you fail you, compassionate and consistent support can restore a life. I am still here. I am still learning. And I am not done yet.
