Pain to Purpose: The Story of Kajuju Kimanthi

Summary: Kajuju Kimanthi faced profound hardship when her husband died a year into their marriage, leaving her pregnant and vulnerable. Forced from her home by greedy in-laws, she battled depression for years before reclaiming her property through a tough legal fight. Motivated by her struggles, Kajuju dedicated herself to advocating for widows' rights, founding “Together as One Kithurune” to support widows, combat gender-based violence, and oppose female genital mutilation. Despite significant challenges, her unwavering commitment continues to inspire and uplift countless women in need.

Profile: Kajuju Kimathi's life changed irrevocably when her husband died just one year into their marriage. She was three months pregnant at the time, and the loss was profound. Yet, her hardships were just beginning. Her in-laws, driven by greed, sought to claim the couple's property, including a thriving farm with animals and agricultural products. The turmoil forced Kajuju to leave her home and seek refuge with her parents, where she stayed until she delivered her baby.

The emotional and psychological stress pushed Kajuju into a deep depression that lasted for five long years. A concerned friend eventually guided her to counselling services, helping her reconnect with herself and rebuild her life. As she regained her mental strength, Kajuju decided to fight back against her in-laws' harassment and took her case to court. The legal battle was taxing and expensive, but her perseverance paid off when the court granted her permanent rights to her husband's properties.

Empowered by her victory, Kajuju began to think about other widows who might not have the support or resources to fight similar battles. She realized that in many African countries, widows face a double tragedy—they lose their husbands and their properties, and often face severe discrimination. Kajuju's pain became her purpose. She resolved to use her experience to advocate for widows' rights, ensuring that others wouldn't have to endure what she had. She desired to offer to others the light she had hoped for during her time of turmoil.

Her first outreach was in Samburu, a region known for its strong patriarchal traditions. Sharing her story with local widows, Kajuju found a deeply emotional and supportive community. The widows shared their experiences too, they cried together, and formed a bond over their shared struggles. This led Kajuju to establish “Together as One Kithirune,” an organization dedicated to advocating for widows' rights. She formed two groups, one in her home area of Meru and the other in Samburu. Besides supporting the widows, her organization also gives focus on raising awareness about Harmful cultural practices like gender-based violence (GBV), early child marriages and advocating against female genital mutilation (FGM).

Kajuju's work, even though it bring her immense joy and fulfilment, it also come with significant challenges. In patriarchal societies like Samburu, her advocacy is often faced with backlash from elders who don’t believe in women's rights. One particularly harrowing case involved a 13-year-old girl forcibly married as a fourth wife to a 70-year-old man. When the man died a year later, the girl, now a widow at 14, was at risk of being inherited by her late husband's brother. Kajuju fought fiercely for the girl's right to education, despite facing intense community resistance. Her efforts paid off, and the girl returned to school, where she is currently in high school. It is a battle she has to fight over and over again risking her own life.

Even though she is always doing this work from a place of passion and she is motivated by her own experience, and even though she is always using her own income and always asking her friends and family to make donations for the work, she expresses her pain when she is accused of receiving a lot of money from donors and ‘eating it’. This hurts her so much given the sacrifice she has to make.

But even more painful for her, is when she gets rescue requests from widows in dire situations and not having the resources to execute the rescue. Despite these heartaches, she continues to do her best, driven by her commitment to making a difference.

Kajuju Kimathi, through her tireless efforts, continues to give hope and a voice to countless widows, fighting for their rights and dignity.

We are deeply proud of you Kajuju. We acknowledge your efforts and courage. You are a hero! We honour and celebrate you! Keep sticking your neck out for the public good!