Nelly Owino, an AGYW (Adolescent Girl and Young Woman) from West Kanyamkago, shares her story.

“Immediately after finishing college in July 2020, my family saw me as a grown woman ready for marriage. They found a man for me and forced me into marriage in December 2020. I had nowhere else to call home, so I had no choice but to marry at the age of 22. I can say I was not mature enough for marriage, and within six months, I became pregnant, which marked the beginning of my struggles. Life was difficult, and there were days when I went without food.

During my first antenatal clinic visit, the nurse in charge introduced me to the DREAMS program, which I can truly say was the turning point in my life. Initially, I was bitter and saw myself as a failure, someone who lacked the strength to say no to gender-based violence (GBV). However, after attending numerous sessions, I felt empowered to rebuild myself and stay determined. My mentor encouraged me to volunteer, which played a significant role in shaping my career.

I worked closely with my mentor and mobilized young mothers in the community to come to our safe space, where we shared our challenges and found solutions. Through our mentor’s guidance, we learned about various family planning methods, which greatly helped me.

The DREAMS program empowered me, and I gained valuable skills through my role as a youth peer provider— something I was passionate about, having firsthand experience with the challenges young people face. My hard work and determination eventually led to me being recognized as the youth leader for West Kanyamkago Ward.

My experience as an AGYW (adolescent girls and young women) in the DREAMS project opened many doors. I learned to develop my CV using resources available at the ward, like a laptop, which I had never imagined using before. This new skill helped me secure a job with COMID-KENYA, an organization focused on
empowering young girls with the theme “EMPOWER HER.”

The program’s mission is to prevent school dropouts and reduce teen pregnancies in our community. I am proud to serve and support my community.

I am grateful to the DREAMS program for the mentorship and training that taught me to be determined, resilient, and
empowered. I have also learned financial responsibility through the knowledge gained from the Economic Training (ET) sessions.

My prayer is that the program finds enough resources to continue changing the lives of other young people facing similar challenges. The impact you make extends beyond individuals and touches entire communities. Asante sana.”