Gladys and Loice faced a terrible choice: admit that their father abused them and allow his arrest, or stay silent. They chose to speak. Instead of support, they received threats from their family.

Their mother had left them two years prior, in 2008, separating from their father and escaping his abuse. Sadly, Gladys and Loice, along with their brother, remained with their father, who molested both girls. The Kitale, Kenya children’s department learned of the abuse in 2010 and questioned the girls.

Rejected by their families for speaking out, Horizon staff brought Gladys and Loice to Baba Nyumbani in October, 2010. Their father’s abuse traumatized the girls so much, they found it difficult to even talk to men in the community. It took great patience and many counseling sessions to help them heal from their emotional wounds and begin trusting the adults in their lives.

Loice is a leader within the children’s home, and both girls are outgoing, making friends easily. They work hard in school, pursuing their ambitious goals: Loice wants to be a lawyer, while Gladys wants to be an accountant.