After escaping an attempted defilement by her stepfather at age 12, Ivy Mureithi and her mother fled to Nairobi, settling in Kawangware where daily survival was a struggle. Ivy eventually found work as a house help for an Indian family, where she also cared for their children. That opportunity transformed her life — the family sponsored her return to school and later her university education at JKUAT, where she studied Information Technology.
Grateful for the support, Ivy saved money to repay the family, but they declined and instead asked her to help another girl in need. This inspired her to establish the TrueCare New Day Centre in Dagoretti, a safe haven for underage survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
The centre houses girls, most of them teenage mothers, offering them safety, counselling, healthcare, and education. Some return to school, while others learn vocational skills like photography and peanut butter production. Soon, the centre hopes to launch bakery and poultry projects.
Ivy walks with each girl until she is fully prepared to reintegrate into society, even supporting them through court cases to hold perpetrators accountable. Some offenders have already been convicted.
Her work is embraced by the local community, which donates resources and helps with reintegration. Ivy also runs a tech shop — Golden Flowa Solutions — to fund the centre’s operations.
Despite many challenges, Ivy dreams of expanding the centre into a comprehensive safe haven with a school, daycare, IT hub, maternity ward, and farm. Her ultimate goal is to provide every girl with the chance to heal, grow, and pursue her dreams.
