For many years, Kituo Cha Sheria has been a beacon of hope for the poor and the vulnerable in Kenya and beyond, including refugees. Through its commitment to legal empowerment and the provision of legal aid, Kituo has enabled countless individuals to access justice and reclaim their dignity. However, not all who seek legal aid require legal intervention alone. Some carry a far heavier burden, one shaped by trauma, loss, and experiences that the law, by itself, cannot heal.
Within Kituo’s Forced Migration Programme, this reality is well understood. The programme integrates psychosocial support through dedicated counsellors who walk with clients beyond the courtroom, helping them rebuild not just their cases, but their lives.
This was the case for James (not his real name), a Congolese refugee who came to Kituo Cha Sheria seeking legal assistance. James’s story is one of survival against overwhelming odds.
When James first arrived, he appeared like many others, hopeful, yet visibly weighed down. During the initial screening, the legal officer quickly realized that his needs extended far beyond legal representation. Beneath his request for justice was a deep and urgent psychological crisis. James was struggling with severe trauma and suicidal thoughts, rooted in a past marked by unimaginable violence and hardship.
He recalls, with painful clarity, the moment his life was shattered. His father was killed in front of him during conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Soon after, those responsible began searching for him, intending to kill him as well. Forced to flee, James embarked on a journey filled with fear, uncertainty, and suffering.
“When I left Congo, I went through so many hardships. War had already begun, and even conflict within my family had started. My father was killed before my eyes, and after his death, they came looking for me so they could kill me as well. But by the grace of God, I was spared. God had a plan for me.”
At one point during his escape, while seeking refuge alongside strangers who were also fleeing for safety, they were captured by armed men and taken deep into the forest. There, he was subjected to forced labor, constant beatings, and inhumane treatment. He witnessed the brutal killings of the very strangers he had met, carried out by the armed men who had captured them, and lived in constant fear for his life. Near the bodies of those victims, he was sexually assaulted by two men, an ordeal that left him unconscious and with deep physical and emotional scars.
“I saw that my friends, the same ones I had met that evening had been killed. Out of fear, I lost control of myself and didn’t know what to do. The commander told me, ‘If you refuse to do what we say, you see how they are lying there dead, and that will be you.’ He then did everything he wanted to me. He raped me… Two of them had assaulted me, and I received no treatment or help.”
Eventually, amid the chaos of a clash between the armed group and police, James seized a chance to escape. Disoriented and alone, he fled without a clear direction until he reached a village near the Uganda border. From there, he found his way to Nairobi, Kenya.
In Nairobi, James had no family, no support system, and no place to call home. He survived on the streets, often sleeping in open spaces. At one point, he was beaten for sleeping in a clothes stall, a moment that further deepened his sense of despair. Though he later found temporary refuge with fellow Congolese nationals who helped him learn barbering, his struggles persisted.
In an attempt to build a better future, James saved money and entrusted it to an individual who promised to help him travel abroad. The promise turned out to be a scam. He lost all his savings of Kenyan shillings 80,000 and when he sought help, he was dismissed and reminded of his vulnerability as a non-citizen.
“One of my customers, whom I used to shave, told me he had helped many Congolese secure jobs abroad and encouraged me to try my luck. I explained that I had no family or support and asked for a year to raise the money. After working hard, I gave him Ksh. 80,000 and waited, but months passed with no response. When I finally asked for my money back, his attitude changed, and he told me, ‘You’re not even Kenyan and there’s nothing you can do to me.”
Overwhelmed by cumulative trauma, loss, and hopelessness, James began experiencing persistent thoughts of ending his life. Fear haunted his sleep, and the weight of his past seemed unbearable. Even after obtaining refugee documentation, the emotional wounds remained raw and unresolved.
It was at this lowest point that James was referred to Kituo Cha Sheria.
“That’s when thoughts of ending my life began to come into my mind. I lived in constant fear, even in my sleep. I kept thinking about death.”…
“Later, I heard about a refugee center that helps people. I went there and explained my situation, but they told me my case needed to be taken to Kituo Cha Sheria. That’s how I ended up ta kituo cha sheria.”
Recognizing the urgency of his condition, the legal officer referred him to Kituo’s psychosocial support services under the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Programme. There, he met Habiba Mohamed, psychosocial counsellor.
Through consistent counselling sessions, Habiba provided James with a safe space to process his trauma. She helped him confront painful memories, manage stress, and understand that his experiences though devastating did not define his worth. Slowly, through patience and care, James began to heal. He rediscovered a sense of purpose.
The thoughts that once consumed him began to fade, replaced by a renewed will to live. With emotional and psychological support, he started to rebuild his life, not just as a survivor, but as someone with value, dignity, and hope for the future.
“She supported me mentally, emotionally, and showed me that I still have value and purpose in life. She gave me hope. The person I am today, and the changes in my life, are because of her.”
His journey is a powerful reminder that justice is not only about legal outcomes, it is also about restoring humanity. At Kituo Cha Sheria, this holistic approach ensures that individuals like James are not only heard in law, but also healed in life.
“This boy came for legal aid; he never came for counselling. When our lawyers saw his condition, he was immediately referred for counselling. He was in a very bad state. He was suicidal and had lost hope in life but through the sessions, he has recovered well…I encourage boys and men not to keep quiet, but to speak up and seek help.” Habiba Mohamed, Psychosocial Counsellor, Kituo Cha Sheria
Watch the full story here: https://youtu.be/n0Br-a94auk
By; Rony Alal