From Tradition to Transformation: Teresa’s Story of Survival and Strength

In the heart of Northern Kenya, where the green slopes of Mount Kulal rise amid an otherwise arid landscape, lives a young girl named Teresa.* Though the area is often called a “gem in the desert” for its natural beauty, that’s not how Teresa sees it. As the sixth of eight siblings, she’s always carried big dreams—dreams that stretch far beyond the borders of her rural community. She longed to pursue education and be a change-maker in her village. But her parents had other plans.
From a young age, Teresa was expected to follow her community’s traditions, which prioritize tending livestock and early marriage over formal education. Instead of going to school, she was sent to the fields to care for goats and sheep, walking barefoot for hours under the harsh sun and often going without food or water. Despite disliking the isolation and hardship, she persevered.

Then came the day her father introduced her to an older man who intended to marry her through an arranged marriage. Teresa’s father was not someone to challenge, so she didn’t speak out, but inwardly, she was overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty. She wasn’t ready for marriage and wanted a different future.

Desperate for a way out, Teresa confided in her stepbrother. She told him she wanted to go to school, not become a wife. Moved by her courage, he devised a plan. His child was still a toddler, and he proposed to their father that Teresa come stay with his family to help care for the baby. Her father agreed on the condition that she return home once the child turned two.

Teresa’s stepbrother, a teacher by profession, began homeschooling her right away. Later, he helped her enroll in a formal school.

When Teresa’s father found out, he was upset. He made several attempts to bring her back home, but her stepbrother stood firm. In Teresa’s community, marriage is often seen as a source of family stability and blessing, with traditions like dowries offering financial benefits. These customs, deeply rooted in heritage, are significant to many families, but they also mean that Teresa’s dreams of school would be cut short.

Still, she held on.

Then came another setback. Her mother invited her home under the pretense of a short visit—just a few days with family. But when she arrived, she discovered new plans were underway for her to marry an older man who already had four wives.
When her stepbrother learned what was happening, he reached out to a MOHI social worker for help. Together with a government representative, MOHI intervened, and Teresa was rescued. And, after difficult conversations, her family agreed to let her return to school.

From that moment, MOHI has walked alongside Teresa with love, care and consistency. MOHI’s compassionate, holistic approach helped her heal from fear and trauma, building her confidence little by little.

Since enrolling with MOHI, Teresa has not only grown academically but spiritually. Once unfamiliar with church, she is now active in her congregation, leading praise and worship and nurturing a faith she didn’t know before.

She especially enjoys integrated science, which includes chemistry, physics and biology, and she dreams of becoming a teacher and a pastor. Teresa is passionate about making a difference in the lives of others. But, more than anything, Teresa looks forward to a future where traditions evolve—where education for girls is not the exception, but the norm.
Teresa is deeply grateful to MOHI for transforming her life and giving her hope. She hopes that MOHI will continue to empower people like her, giving them the courage to push towards a brighter future.

You can help girls like Teresa pursue an education and a brighter future.

When you sponsor a child through Missions of Hope International, you help provide quality education, spiritual nurturing, and life-changing opportunities, especially for girls who might otherwise be held back by deeply rooted traditions. Your support helps create safe places where girls can dream big and become the leaders, teachers, and changemakers their communities need.

Sponsor a child today and be part of the transformation.

*We’ve changed the name in this story to honor and protect the person’s privacy.