Her Tears Broke Me: The Hidden Pain of Adolescent Girls in Kibera – And Why Youth-Friendly Services Must Do Better
Yesterday, a young girl walked into our space at Polycom Girls carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. She is an adolescent – barely out of childhood herself – who was raped last year. Out of that violence came a beautiful 11-month-old baby boy. She came to us broken, in tears, struggling with her health and her mind. We immediately paid her hospital fees so she could receive the care she desperately needed and begin to settle mentally.
Looking into her eyes as the tears streamed down her face, something inside me shattered. This is not just one story. This is the daily reality for far too many girls in Kibera.
The cases of adolescent girls presenting with Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are alarming. Most of them have no parents or guardians to take them to hospital, no one to pay the fees, no one to hold their hand through the pain and shame. They suffer in silence. They endure infections that could easily be treated if only someone cared enough to help them get there.
At Polycom Girls, we live and breathe G-PENDE – “love yourself.” We were founded in 2004 right here in Kibera because of the epidemic of sexual violence, exploitation, and harassment that girls face every single day. We work with girls in schools and out-of-school groups to build self-worth, provide education, sports, sanitation, and a safe space to speak out. But yesterday reminded us how much more work there is to do.
We keep asking ourselves a painful question: Are the so-called “Youth-Friendly Services” in our health facilities truly friendly?
From what we see on the ground, the answer is too often no.
- Girls are judged when they walk into clinics.
- They face long queues, rude staff, and lack of privacy.
- Many facilities have no dedicated spaces for adolescents, no trained counsellors who understand trauma from rape or early motherhood.
- Without parents to advocate for them, these girls simply give up and stay away – letting infections worsen, mental health decline, and opportunities slip away.
We know there are pockets of hope – dedicated centres and committed health workers who try their best. But the system as a whole is failing our girls. Hostility, stigma, and inaccessibility are still too common. Our girls deserve better.
This is not just about one girl’s tears or one UTI case. This is a crisis. Teenage pregnancy after rape. Untreated infections. Mental health breakdowns. Girls raising babies while they are still babies themselves. All because the safety net is full of holes.
A Clarion Call to Action – It Is Time to Rise
To the Ministry of Health: Make Youth-Friendly Services truly youth-friendly. Train every provider in adolescent-friendly care. Create safe, private spaces in every facility in Kibera and beyond. Ensure free or subsidised care for girls with no parental support. Make mental health support mandatory after sexual violence.
To health workers: See the girl behind the tears. Treat her with dignity, not judgement.
To parents, guardians, and communities: Stop the silence. Support your daughters. Walk with them to the hospital. Speak up against violence.
To partners, donors, and fellow organisations: Fund holistic care – medical fees, counselling, pads, sanitary facilities, and follow-up. Stand with us as we amplify girls’ voices through our Talking Boxes project and mentorship programmes.
To every girl in Kibera reading this: You are not alone. Come to Polycom Girls. We will fight for you. We will pay the fees when we can. We will listen without judgement. Because G-PENDE – love yourself – starts with knowing you deserve care, healing, and a future.
Yesterday’s girl left our office with a little more hope. But thousands more are still waiting.
Let us not wait for the next heartbreaking story. Let us act now.
If you are moved by this story, share it. Support Polycom Girls. Volunteer. Donate. Advocate for truly friendly youth services.
Together, we can turn tears into triumph.
#Gpende #EndViolenceAgainstGirls #YouthFriendlyIsNotOptional #KiberaGirlsRise
Polycom Girls (Polycom Development Project) Olympic Estate, Kibera, Nairobi Contact: +254 737 332 867 | info@polycomgirls.or.ke
Love yourself. Protect yourself. Rise together.