From teenage pregnancies to authors: 28 young mothers behind 'Still, I Rise' share stories of resilience

When she stood up to talk about a book she has co-authored, Jane* did not need any teleprompter from which to read a speech. It was a private reception for contributors, families, media and supporters.

Cameras were focused on her, recording every bit of her speech. Bright bulbs above her head shone light on her young face, the room was quiet, all ears were listening as she narrated her story of a child who was forced to become a mother to another child. She courageously addressed the audience in the room as she told her own story the best way she could in her own words.

Soon, her voice started trembling, she struggled to hold her tears back as she reflected on the memories of an old man who betrayed the trust her family had in him before defiling her some three years ago. A sister in the room who was standing close to her, extended her right hand, gently rubbed her back to calm her down. Jane continued telling her emotional story through the microphone, which she held on her right hand to project her words to every audience in the room.

“My childhood was stolen by a man my family trusted. A man I regarded as my own grandfather. In a single moment, my life changed forever, leaving me to carry pain, pregnancy and heavy weight of judgment that was never mine to bare…,” Jane said.

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As Jane told her painful story last Friday evening, the thoughts of a delayed justice pained her the most. In the book, Still, I Rise, a collection of stories written by 28 young women who became mothers as teenagers in Nairobi’s informal settlements, she also shares the accounts of circumstances that led her here today. The team wrote the book during a retreat in 2025.

The Nation is not quoting any chapter of the book in this article to avoid exposing Jane, who is still a minor because her story, like those of her co-authors, is published alongside photographs of the contributors, and all members of CFK Africa’s Girls Empowerment Programme, which supports young mothers returning to school. Jane is now back to school—a decision she says would not have been possible if she was to walk the journey alone.

“But even when people turned away, my mother never let go and few friends who reminded me that I still mattered. I chose to go back to school, not because it was easy, but because I refused to let what happened define my future,” said the emotional Jane during the launch of Still, I Rise book in Nairobi.