Shari’s Journey to Safety

From a Difficult Life in another country to a Safe Place of Forgiveness and Hope in Tanzania, read this incredible journey of a brave young girl who left her home and country in search of a better life. 

At just 16 years old, Shari left her home in another country in Africa, searching for a way to escape the difficult circumstances of her village. (Shari’s name has been changed to protect her.)

She hoped that finding work in Tanzania would give her a chance to build a better life.

Leaving Home

Shari heard of a job opportunity in Tanzania and her future employer in Arusha sent money for her transportation.  Shari traveled with a friend from Burundi to Tanzania where arrangements had been made for her to be received by a relative of the employer when she arrived.

She believed she was beginning a new chapter of hope in her life. Instead, her journey would expose her to fear, abuse, exploitation, and an uncertain future.

A Job That Became a Place of Fear

When Shari arrived in Arusha, she began working as a house helper for the woman who had brought her to Tanzania. The woman introduced herself as a police officer, and Shari believed she had found a safe place to work and earn a living.

For nearly a year, Shari worked in the household without receiving any wages. Throughout the entire period she worked there, the woman never paid Shari any of the money she had earned. She continued working without knowing when, or if, she would ever receive the payment she was owed.

As the months passed, the work became increasingly difficult. One day, Shari forgot to feed the chickens at lunchtime because she was busy working on the farm. The woman became extremely angry. She verbally abused Shari and physically assaulted her. After that, Shari says she was beaten whenever she made mistakes, and she was threatened with death if she ever tried to escape.

For a young girl who had already left home and her country because life in her village had become difficult, the place where she had hoped to find an opportunity had instead become a place of fear, unpaid labor, and abuse.

An Unexpected Pregnancy

While living and working in the household, Shari became pregnant by a security guard who worked for her employer. When she told the guard she was pregnant, the situation changed.

The guard left his job and disappeared without revealing where he had gone. His phone could no longer be reached.

While carrying a pregnancy and already facing an uncertain future…..

Someone Chose to Help

Some neighbors had witnessed the way Shari was being treated and became concerned about her safety. Thankfully one neighbor decided to intervene.

She helped Shari leave Arusha and took her to Dar es Salaam, where she helped her find another household where she could stay and work in what she hoped would be a safer environment.

Meanwhile the search for her in Arusha had begun.

The former employer had reported the matter to her sister, who was also a police officer in Dar es Salaam. Eventually, Shari was found and brought back to Arusha.  She was asked to return to the same conditions and continue working. But she refused. After everything she had experienced, she knew she could not go back.

From Kaloleni Center to Neema Village

Shari was taken to Kaloleni Center, a place that provides care for children living on the streets. The staff discovered that Shari was pregnant.

Because Kaloleni Center primarily cares for children living on the streets, they recognized that its environment and resources were not suitable for meeting the specific needs of a pregnant 16-year-old girl.

They contacted Social Welfare for assistanc and Social Welfare then reached out to Neema Village and asked if we could help provide Shari with a safe place to stay and the care she needed during her pregnancy.

And that is how Shari came to Neema Village.  Today, Shari is safe at Neema Village. She is receiving medical care for her pregnancy, learning new skills, growing in her faith, and being surrounded by people who are committed to helping her rebuild her life.

A Safe Place to Heal and Prepare

Shari is now living in the MAP Apartments at Neema Village.

For now, she has a safe place where she can rest, receive care, and prepare for the arrival of her baby while Social Welfare continues working on the next steps for her future. She is receiving hospital and antenatal clinic care throughout her pregnancy. She is also being given opportunities to learn, grow, and regain confidence.

While she remains at Neema Village, she will receive:

Literacy Classes

Shari will have an opportunity to strengthen her reading and writing skills, giving her an important foundation for her future.

Bible Studies

Through Bible studies, Shari will learn about God’s love, develop her faith, and be reminded that her difficult circumstances do not determine her worth or her future.

Group Therapy

Group therapy will provide a safe environment where Shari can receive emotional support, process difficult experiences, and learn that she does not have to face everything alone.

Sewing Training

Through sewing classes, Shari can develop a practical skill that may help her create opportunities for herself in the future.

Entrepreneurship Training

Through entrepreneurship training, she will begin learning practical skills such as how to identify business opportunities, manage money, plan a small business, and develop the confidence needed to become economically independent in the future.

Shari now has a future filled with possibilities. 

A Family Still Waiting to Be Found

Shari’s story is still unfolding …. Social Welfare together with immigration authorities are continuing efforts to locate and communicate with her family in the country of Burundi.

They want her family to know that Shari is safe and receiving care.

They are also working through the necessary procedures regarding her eventual return to Burundi.

Until those arrangements are completed, Shari will continue to live at Neema Village and receive the support she needs.

What Shari Needs Now Is Hope

Shari left Burundi because she wanted a better life.

She was looking for an opportunity.

Instead, she found herself far from home, vulnerable, frightened, pregnant, and without the support of her family.

But her story does not have to end with what happened to her.

At Neema Village, Shari has found something she desperately needed:

Safety.

She has a place to sleep.

She has access to medical care.

She has people looking out for her.

She has opportunities to learn.

She has space to grow in her faith.

And, perhaps most importantly, she has been reminded that her life still has value and her future still matters.

As she prepares to welcome her new baby, we pray that this safe chapter at Neema Village will become the beginning of a much brighter future.

If you are interested in learning more about the MAP program and want to support the MAP Program, please email Noelle at sponsorship@neemavillage.org