HIGHLIGHTING
Our Beginnings
why we were formed
Why the Rose Foundation
The founder of Rose Foundation is a survivor of domestic violence. Named after the founder’s late mother who was a community activist, the Rose Foundation was created in 2015 to work against gender-based and domestic violence in Kenya as a public health issue, applying community-based intervention methods the founder learned in the USA.
About the founder
Esther Kisaghu pursued her studies at the School of Public Health at Boston University, which opened up new avenues for her public health career after her time with the national health fund in Kenya.
It was during this experience that Kisaghu had a profound realization: domestic violence, much like other public health challenges, can be prevented. It reignited her sense of purpose and passion.
While working on her MPH, Kisaghu dedicated her time to volunteering with shelters and domestic violence organizations across Massachusetts. After completing her thesis on domestic violence in Kenya, she chose to stay in the state for an additional year, contributing her efforts at Transition House in Cambridge and Casa Myrna in Dorchester.
Deeply engaged in domestic violence advocacy in Massachusetts, Kisaghu never lost sight of her roots, realising she could take what I learned in the U.S.A. back to Kenya.
Her role at the Gender Violence Recovery Center at NWH further exposed her to the heartbreaking stories of women and children in Kenya.
While she is committed to supporting victims and survivors, she also feels a strong calling to her homeland to work on preventing domestic violence before it starts.
Kisaghu’s lifelong mission is to prevent domestic violence. Her dream took shape when she published her autobiography, titled The Triumph of My Life: Domestic Violence and Society’s Thundering Silence. In this book, she shares her own experiences of domestic violence during her nine-year marriage, addressing the silence and cultural norms that perpetuate the issue in Kenya, and providing insights on how everyone can contribute to alleviating this epidemic.
When readers purchase her autobiography, a portion of the proceeds will help sustain the future of her foundation.
