“My name is Loice Natapar from Turkana County but currently leaving in West Pokot a place called Sarmach. I came to Pokot when I got married but due to constant conflicts between Turkanas and pokots I never had a chance to visit my parents again. My husband took advantage of this fact and started mistreating me since I had no one to turn to. I got stressed and before I knew it I started drinking to ease the pain I was going through. I would go mining gold and the little money I would get would go straight to local brew. This went on until when I was six months pregnant for my fourth child when my husband beat me up mercilessly and ended up losing the pregnancy. I decided to leave and left my kids with him and local bars became my new home because I wouldn’t go back to Turkana.
Luckily for me this year, jitokeze Wamama Wafrika came to Sarmach to recruit girls to join their tailoring program. Deep down I knew this was my redemption chance but no one had faith in me and no one was will willing to be my guardian.
I am grateful to jitokeze staff who chose to give me a chance despite having been told that I am a drunkard and not the right person to join their program. I vowed not to break the trust they had bestowed on my and decided to quit drinking.
Three months down the line, I am back in Sarmach for August Holidays and am no longer staying at a bar but have found a female friend who agreed to stay with me. I have learnt to control myself and being at peace with myself. I still mine gold but unlike in the past the money I get goes to food and other household items. I have not tasted alcohol in three months and I feel so proud of myself. I plan to continue with my dress making training and one day set a sewing business in this center and even train other girls and women.”
