Emily* became orphaned when she was a toddler. Emily's torturers (the people who took Emily) took her and made her their slave. She was always physically and verbally tormented.

One day the girl's torturers brought her to KJJ so that KJJ could take care of the girl. When we offered her clean clothes and fixed her hair and cleaned her feet we could see that she was covered in scars from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

We asked the girl where the scars came from, then she explained to us that these scars were from being cut with knives, forks, wires, whips, irons, and all kinds of sharp objects and that the scars on her head were there because of the hard blows that she continuously received for her tormentors.

The girl was really happy to be in KJJ home. Emily began to feel loved for the first time in her life. The terrors of being tormented with objects of torture, or the thought of going to sleep on the street were fading. Until one terrible day came, the girl's torturers realized they needed Emily back to work as their house slave.

The torturers demanded the girl's return. When the girl saw that her torturers were coming to take her away, she left running and hid behind the doors of the house and locked the door and wouldn't open it. When Emily came to KJJ she was in a severe state of shock, abandonment, anxiety, psychological distress, trauma, intense sadness, and contant crying.

Added to all of this she was infested with thousands and thousands of parasitic insects that made her so uncomfortable that when she was only scratching her head and all the lice were jumping everywhere.

KJJ staff helped Emily to recover physically and protected her every single time that she was in terrible danger. Emily's torturers kept coming many times try to intimidate her. Every time Emily's torturers came to look for her, she would go and lock herself inside the room. That’s how she stayed at KJJ. Emily knew we would protect her. She hugged us many times and wouldn't let us go. She held onto us the same way a person holds onto a life jacket when they're lost at sea.

After Emily's brave decision to stay at KJJ, there were many struggles she needed to overcome. But she finally settled in the house permanently, and we've seen how much she's grown. She loves to be in KJJ, feels like part of a family, and is a very happy, loving and a smart young girl.

The love she has received has healed her past wounds. Emily has received hours of counseling along with the proper nutrition, health care, and much needed love. Emily is surrounded by an environment that understands her in a very unique way. Emily is a happy child who shows good physical, intellectual, and emotional development. Emily is ready to enter seventh grade.

Emily is thankful to her donors for helping along in this recovery journey. Thank you very much to our donors and their families for continuously supporting and serving the endangered children and families in this community.

*some names have been changed for security