IVY JEPCHIRCHIR
St. Patrick’s High School, Nandi

Ivy was born in a polygamous family 15 years ago. She hails from Kacheliba in west Pokot County.
Her father has four wives and nineteen children, including ivy.
We learned of ivy’s predicament when we visited St. Bhakitas Girl’s High School.

She sat for her KCPE in 2023 and scored 234 marks.
She faced several hurdles in her pursuit of education…she was forced to undergo FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) at the age of 13. Her father wanted her married to a polygamous man of 47 — she escape from home and was hosted by a church minister for two years. This led to a bitter quarrel between the father and the church. The minister surrendered her to her family immediately after her KCPE in November 2023.

Once at home, the father in collaboration with her mother organized for a marriage to the same person (this man had already paid part of the dowery. It was at this juncture that a teacher at
St. Bhakitas tipped us — we visited the chief who was glad that we had come in to rescue her. When the administration visited the home the girl had vanished. It was a week later that Mercy got a call from the chief asking to meet her at Riwo. With the blessing of the chief and the maternal uncle, Mercy took custody of the girl who by then was so stressed that she was contemplating suicide.

The chief advised that she be enrolled in a high school far from her home…and that’s why Mercy enrolled her in Nandi County. It would be unwise to allow this girl to go back to her home right now. She will be hosted by Mercy during all the school break.

Ivy needs guiding and counseling plus a lot of encouragement.
We thank you for giving hope to Ivy.