A new health care facility established by a local NGO in Uriri Sub County, Migori, is offering renewed hope to victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and expectant mothers, aiming to address critical health service gaps in the region.
The Joseph Smith Hospital, founded by Gladwell Wachira, began as a rescue centre and children’s home but has since expanded into a fully-fledged health facility. Wachira said the rising cases of maternal mortality and GBV in Migori inspired the transition. In 2024 alone, the centre rescued 76 girls who had faced defilement, rape, or physical abuse. Ten more girls have already been rescued this year.
“We are not here to compete with the government but to complement its efforts in delivering quality health care to the grassroots,” said Wachira, calling for stronger partnerships with both national and county governments to enhance service delivery.
The facility aims to provide safe and supportive health services for adolescent girls and women, many of whom suffer in silence due to stigma, isolation, and fear of further abuse. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data from 2022 shows that 34% of Kenyan women have experienced sexual violence, while the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey reports that 47% of women aged 15–49 have faced physical or sexual intimate partner violence.
Uriri Sub County GBV Coordinator Celestine Agunda emphasized the role of society in ending GBV. “The government alone cannot solve every problem. That’s why we encourage private partnerships like this one to step in and support,” she said. Agunda noted that the county, through its community health promoters, will continue to drive GBV awareness and prevention campaigns.
Uriri Deputy County Commissioner Monicah Kangethe echoed the call for collaboration, urging expectant women to seek antenatal care and hospital deliveries to reduce maternal deaths. Migori’s maternal mortality rate currently stands at 673 per 100,000 live births—well above the national average of 355.
Kangethe also encouraged residents to register for the Social Hospital Insurance Fund (SHIF) to access affordable care from both public and private facilities.
