Her inability to read or write is not because she lacks intelligence or willingness. It is because her childhood was stolen long before she ever held a pencil.
For years, Simaloi lived a life no child should endure. At home in Kilgoris, she faced relentless beatings, harassment and emotional abuse from her parents. Instead of learning ABCs or enjoying the innocence of play, she was forced to brew chang’aa, a dangerous and illegal trade. The fumes of alcohol replaced the warmth of a home and fear became her constant companion.
The torment grew so unbearable that she began sleeping in a roadside tunnel cold, hungry and alone. Her life became a cycle of survival rather than learning, danger instead of development.
It was in the Olosayiet area where she was discovered, withdrawn and traumatized, having never stepped into a stable learning environment.
Her rescue came through Dorcas Tarus, Director of Amazing Grace Academy, who took her in with the hope of giving her a second chance. But the extent of Simaloi’s trauma quickly became clear.
“When she arrived, she didn’t know how to wear her clothes properly or even how to put on shoes,” Tarus recalls. “School was a completely foreign idea to her.”
In her mind, classrooms were unfamiliar and frightening. Her past had conditioned her to expect pain, not instruction. She ran away several times from Tarus’s home, terrified of kindness she did not understand.
Inside the classroom, her trauma revealed itself in the starkest way: She could not read or write, not even simple words.
Experts say that children who grow up under extreme abuse often miss crucial developmental stages. Their brains stay in survival mode, blocking out learning because survival becomes the only priority. That was the reality for Simaloi. While other children her age were learning numbers, sounds and letters, she was learning how to hide, how to endure beatings and how to run.
Now, even in Grade 7, trauma still holds her back. Despite being surrounded by caring teachers and classmates, she remains far behind academically.
Her teachers at Amazing Grace Academy say she tries, she truly tries.
But trauma is a heavy weight for a child to carry.
“She looks at the board with confusion,” her teacher shares softly. “She wants to understand, but the basics were never given to her. She is starting from zero.”
Reading a sentence is a struggle. Writing her thoughts is nearly impossible. The psychological scars left by years of abuse continue to shape her learning ability, slowing her progress.
Yet, behind her silence and struggles, there is resilience. She shows up to class every day. She practices letters even when they do not make sense. She listens, observes and hopes.
Her journey is a heartbreaking reminder of how trauma can take away more than just childhood. It can steal education, confidence, and opportunity.
With continued support, therapy, and patience, Simaloi is slowly rediscovering her worth. Her story may be filled with pain, but her presence in school today is proof that healing, though slow, is possible.
Comments
Post a Comment