 And I go by the name of by Moses or it's by one of the social media platform. And yesterday I heard a story that really broke my heart. Somebody committed suicide because they couldn't settle a debt for 3,000. People are depressed. People are stressed. And my strength of a woman of the day is here to share a story. Just to tell you that you can pick up yourself and transform your life forever. From being expelled in high school to going to prison. And now she's here almost completing a bachelor's degree in education. She goes by the name of Elisa Karibusana. Thank you. So your camera is number four. The drill is to introduce your credentials and you have to work with them. So look at them straight into their eyes and tell them who Elisa is. Good morning everybody. My name is Elisa Beatriz. My name is Irimumu Reum, I'm mother of two. My wife is a student and I'm from the Abasindai Faraja Foundation. In the next convict, who today fights for the rights of the prisoners, to let the world know that whatever they've done, it is just about a mystic, about their human being. And sometimes it is a circumstance. You find yourself in a circumstance. Yes. Alright, how are the kids doing? They're fine. I know somebody is watching. They are watching. Alright, they are watching. And their granddad is watching as well. Yeah. Alright, so to me I shout out. Alright, so the story is very interesting. And you've been through a lot and you've seen a lot and you put a briefcase through it. Sure. I'd like to take you back to high school. Wow. Wow, that's an interesting part of my life. I was, after I scored 406 in Kasukopisi Academy, I was admitted to, I think I had an admission letter for three schools. Karima Girls, Bahati and Naivasha. And I chose Naivasha. Just hold the mic like this. I chose Naivasha Girls or Bahati over Karima because I felt like Karima was two near home. But they were all performing schools. And my dad insisted I just joined Karima because my sister had been there and she performed well. So he promised me that once you go there and you do your best, we'll take you to the school of your choice. The school of your choice. Okay, don't call them lies. They want us to, they want us to like, agree to what they want us to do. So I joined Karima Girls. But at the back of my mind, I had that notion that dad is going to transfer me from this school. So I worked hard. I think throughout my form one, I wasn't a straight A student. Believing that this is going to wound my dad into giving me what I want. In form two, I chose... All right, before we go to form one, you sat your KCPE. Yeah. All right, so they wanted you to go to Karima Girls. How much was the fare from where you live into Karima Girls? So people can get a picture. You know, coming from Yandere, just with these two lager buses. It is 30 bob back there. All right, and how many marks did you score in primary? 406. 406 marks, out of 500. And then they wanted you to go to a school that is 30 shillings away from home. Okay, I think that was a childish argument. Yes, I'm getting into a head of a class 8, a person who was 16 or 15, who scored 406 marks. Because I was at that stage as well. And at that particular point, you always had an ambition of going to school somewhere and going to a big school. But then again, things just happen, life happens. And you can't seem to come to an understanding with your parents at that particular point because you're a kid. Okay, how would they pay 150 going to a primary school where I was a border? And it is high school. So I expected to go to a big upgrade. Even in the fare payments. All right, so you go to Kirima Gals. How was your performance in Inform1? Excellent. Excellent performance. Yes, I was a straight A student in Inform1. I never missed the achievers' trips. Wow, or you used to go to achievers' trips. All right, at what points do you get expelled? I'm a straight A student. You're one of the best in KCB. I bet the lot that was taken in your year. How do you get to this point? I believe it was even a shock to everybody. The school and even my parents. I transformed from the good girl to a complete bad girl. I would fight, steal, do all kinds of all manner of things just to earn myself an expulsion. And I think it paid off because I was expelled. Because you were expelled? Self-destruction. You wanted to self-destruct? I wanted to leave this place. I don't want to be here. So I had to do something to get out of that place. I never settled. All right, so you get expelled in the long run. Then you go back home. I get back home. It's like where I come from. Education was not that serious back then and like today. So many girls were like I've been given examples that you just have to be a Lisa. You just have to be like this girl, she has done it. So when I get home and here I am expelled. So you can imagine the bitterness with my parents. And I also felt guilty in a way. So I ran away from home. And I went to my sister's place in Embo. And I stayed there for some time. And she was also not happy. She's my eldest sister whom I respect so much up to date. And she even paid my school fees when I was joining for one because my dad retired when I was in class eight second term. So you see there's some... There's no money at home. So my sister had to chip in. And when I went there she wasn't happy with me. You had become a menace to society. The last one now. Everybody had high hopes. She's now the bad girl now. Alright. So from living with your sister. What happens next? At my sister's place I get there. She's not happy with me. And then I fed it. Then she got transferred from Embo to Nairobi. But before then, she ran away from her house too. Because I felt this is not the place I want to be. It is not hospitable. I don't want to see her hurting. There was a lot of tension. And she's hurting. And she can't believe you're doing what you're doing. Yes. Alright. So you ran away. Where do you go after you ran away from your sister's? So I was just there roaming in the streets. And nowhere I had to go. I'm just there. Then there was this guy. He was a colleague to my sister. He gets me to the street and be like, Everybody at home want to meet a bt. They call me bt. So bt what are you doing in the street? And then I explain my station to him. He was so good. How old are you at this time? I just turned 16. You just turned 16? Yes. So you were very naive I bet? Very. Alright. Very. So this guy gets me to his house. He's so nice. Gives me a place to live. He gives me a change of clothes. And I felt good and I felt loved for the first time. But now the very girl in me did not know that everything comes with a price. With time this guy started sleeping with me. And I didn't know anything about the EPLs, contraceptives. And I caught pregnant. At what age again? 16. At 16 still? Yes. Things happened so fast. Yeah. In this one year. You have been expelled. You have gone home. You have gone to your sisters. You have left your sisters. You have gotten pregnant in a span of one year. Yes. At 16. What do you do next? So this guy took responsibility. To an extent introduced me to his family. And they too are welcoming. But it wasn't easy. You would quarrel here and there. Because those are much age difference. He was mature. He's a graduate here. I am a form to drop out. And pregnant with a lot of bitterness. Because I felt like my dreams are shattered. Yes. Wow. All right. This is... What happens next? The guy also gets a transfer to Nairobi. And by the time I think I was around eight months pregnant. So when he gets home drunk. And just like they used to do. We fight. So you guys were in an abusive relationship? Okay. I would say that it was abusive per se. But this guy was like... He wasn't that friendly to me. He changed. He changed somehow. And he didn't treat me the way he used to. Because you see that this is not a person that we've dated. This is a person that who just picked me from streets. He shopped for me. By the virtue of knowing your sister. And seeing your family face. And trying to help. And things just happened. And then... So this guy changes. You're living in Nairobi now. You've moved from Embo to Nairobi. You are still 16. But it's 17. In one year. Pregnant. In the big city. With a man. All right. What happens? So... Here I am. One day I came home. On an eventful day. Then I was running in the hospital. He's out there with the boys and his brothers. You're heavy? Yes. I was just three weeks to my ADD. Then we get home. We fight. And unfortunately he's fatally injured. Fatally injured? Yes. What happened to you before he gets fatally injured? I want people to get a picture of what happened that night. Oh, yeah. We were in communication, yes. And around 8 p.m. I had gone to Moja Hospital. I was treated. Then he was also there. He had to make deals. With the brothers. And there was a birthday party somewhere. So he gets home. He demands for food which he had not even cooked. Because you had been running around. And then I was weak. Going to the hospital? Yes. I am a 16-year-old. Every pregnant and someone is unwell. So when he came home, he demanded for food. We had a misunderstanding and he fought. That's why he was injured. I also have my injuries. There is a scar here. What caused the injury? He stabbed me with a knife. It was a stab wound? Yeah. How many times did you get stabbed that night? Twice. You got stabbed twice? Yes. All right. How many times did he get stabbed? I think once, but it was a... Okay. It was not really a strategic place. If there is anything like that. It was a big mistake. It was a big mistake because he was drunk. And there is a lot of... I think people were drunk. They were like, there is a high. When the alcohol is in you, I think there is a... The blood pressure is high somehow. Okay. So the blood gashed out? Yes. After he was stabbed? What do you do after he is stabbed? And on top of that, I think he used to smoke. And he burnt his front shirt. The front part of him got burnt. Okay. It's a picture that I didn't want to get. All right. You don't really want to get into it. You get arrested after this. All these things happened. The police come on that particular night. Okay. I was calling for help. I even called a sister. I was living just a few blocks from where we were. They came. They helped us. When they came, two things happened. The guy was taken to the hospital. I was taken to Buruburu police station. And that is how the night was concluded? No. That is how the night got concluded. Hospital jail cell? Yes. Wow. Y-254 underscore channel on Instagram. And Y-254 on Facebook. And Y-254 channel on Twitter. Is the way to interact with us. This is strength of a woman. Keep your views, your comments, and questions coming our way. We are with Elisa, who is an ex-con and an activist. And she has changed her life for the better. Stay tuned. All right. So you end up in a jail cell. You're 16. Who is the first person you called? My brother. I called him. Where is he at that time? He was living somewhere in Karabangi, South. So he came to Buruburu. And I explained to him. But then the guy had not passed on. He was still in hospital. And now my brother communicated to my larger family now. So they were informed. And then God gave me the necessary support that I needed back then. They would visit me. They would come and encourage me. Then after three days, that was when the news was broken to me. The guy had passed on. It was sad. Too sad. Because the charges are changed now. No, yes. The charges are... I'm attempted to actual murder now. First degree. First degree murder. Yes. And you never imagined your night's ending like that. When you walk into the hospital and back home. Yes. It was even something that I had not even foreseen. It is bad now. Here I am. I'm confused. I don't know how I'm going to raise this baby that I'm about to give birth to. I am not educated back then. I have no education. I couldn't seek for a job. And so many things are happening back. Let's talk about your experience in prison. But before we talk about the... How is it... I'm guessing you gave birth in... in Remand. Yes. How is it raising a baby in prison? And how did it work out for you? Okay. I was taken to the hospital in H. He really guarded. As a capital offender. You just have to be escorted. And not just escorted. He really guarded. He really guarded. Yes. You're even wondering why they're guarding you like that. In your head, you're not even a dangerous person. Okay. I was wondering why even I'm working here. I can't even run. Three officers behind me. And one has a gun. So it was scary. It was very, very, very bad. It wasn't the best experience. It wasn't the best. But anyway, you give birth at K&H. You spend some time at K&H. And then you go back to Remand. You go back to Remand. With your baby. With your baby. Yes. Excluded for the first three months. You're given a special place. But that special place, it's funny. Because the room that you're staying there with your newborn babies, the next room are the isolated TB. The TB patients. So you can imagine you have a newborn baby here. And the next room, there are people recuperating from TB. But you survived through all this. Yes. The baby survived through all this. Yes, the baby survived through all this. He's a big boy now. Yeah. Wow. He's a big boy now. 11 years of age. Yeah. And his birthday is just next week. I know you're waiting happy birthday. Happy birthday. All right. So in prison now. How was life like in prison? Well, it was tough. Because the first days, you get through, okay, you get a lot of stress. This is the first phase. The first phase. It's depression. Because you're like, how did they end up here? Mm-hmm. You're even bitter and angry at yourself. Self-hatred. You're angry at anybody who just let everything happen. You're even angry at God, because how was this God and everything was happening? How could he not save you from all this? Mm-hmm. So it is just a very, very, okay, traumatizing phase of it. Then after that, you get to the beginning part of it. Mm-hmm. You're beginning like, I wish I did this. I wouldn't have ended up here. I wish I listened to so-and-so. Yeah, I wish I just listened to so-and-so. I wouldn't be here. I just wish I stayed put in Karma Girls. I wouldn't be here. I just wish I didn't run away from home. I wouldn't be here. Mm-hmm. You begin a lot. This is the second phase now. The second phase. What is the third phase? The third phase is acceptance. You're starting to accept? No, you accept yourself where you are and start walking the way forward. Mm-hmm. Yes. Because you also need to defend yourself around here. Yes. You need to be strong. You need to survive. Sure. So this is when you realize all these things need to happen and you accept whatever is happening to you. Yes. All right. When you got to the acceptance stage, your trial is still going on? Yes. Actually, it did not even started. The trial started one year late. Mm-hmm. I would just get there and I'm told there are no witnesses. Mm-hmm. The judge is not there. Mm-hmm. You get there. The court list. It's because I think the court list. Mm-hmm. The court list is full. Mm-hmm. They don't have time to listen to your case. Mm-hmm. So it is just dragged like near. Mm-hmm. That's when it started. Mm-hmm. Yes. All right. And I'm guessing you met a lot of people in prison doing your experience in prison? Mm-hmm. In prison? People think it is just for the illiterate. No. Mm-hmm. There is the young, the old. Mm-hmm. Diversity. There's diversity. Mm-hmm. The elite. Mm-hmm. The semi-illiterate. Mm-hmm. The complete illiterate. Mm-hmm. They are there. They are there. You met all these kinds of people? Yes. All right. And were there people around your age also in prison? I remember in prison, like I had to hide my age for the fear of being bullied. Mm-hmm. Because I wouldn't tell them that I was underage. Mm-hmm. No. Because they had to be treated like an adult because they had a baby. Mm-hmm. If I didn't have that baby, my child could be continued when I was in a Boston institution, the juvenile prison. Mm-hmm. But no, here I am in another institution. Mm-hmm. So I had to be treated like one. Mm-hmm. So... This is because you were accused of a capital offense? Not really. Mm-hmm. I had to be taken to my age. Mm-hmm. Yes. All right. They are capital offenders in other Boston institutions, and they are not taken in prison. In the, like, Langata or committee. Mm-hmm. There are those juvenile institutions that we have around Nairobi. Mm-hmm. But for me, because of my pregnancy and now having a baby, I couldn't go there. Mm-hmm. So I had to be taken to an adult. Correctional facility. You had to grow up really fast there? Yes. Mm-hmm. 16 going to grown prison. What are they called the prisons for the older people? No, it's just a main prison. Those Boston institutions are for the 18 years and below. 18 years and below. Yes. All right, so you had to really grow up first. Yes, circumstances forced me to. In the long run, you were found not killed here. Yes, and I was set free. I remember the judge, he just dismissed me like this and like, how old is your son? I don't mean standing three. Go bring up your son and go back to school. He told me that. Wow, this was a ton of events for you and your family. It was. It was. Did he shed tears? I think I wept. I remember when I had the judge say that I have now put you at liberty. I don't think I had anything else from that because I just remember screaming. My dad was there, seated in the courtroom. Dad was in Yachauku. I felt like he's going to leave me and I've been taken back years. Wow. So what people might not be understanding, you spent like three years in prison, but you were found not guilty. How come you're in prison, but you were found not guilty? In prison, there are two segments. There is the main prison where those people are serving sentence. They already convicted prisoners are, and there is the remand. And the remand has two sections, the capital remand and an ordinary remand. But I hear you're innocent until proven guilty. This does not work in the law system. You have to be there. Especially for capital. Sorry. So you have to be remanded while the trial is going on. Yes. You were set free. What happens next? Do you go back home to your parents or to your sister? To my parents. It was an experience. At year experience at that, going home, you know, people used to talk so much things about those people in prison. There's a lot of stigma. When I was getting home, back then, we had matatos that were taking us, okay, they would be like Awali. They would come and sit. So they already knew at what time I was getting home. I met a crowd shopping center. They were waiting for me. They were shocked when they saw me. They expected that somebody was weak, malnutritioned. But it was very beautiful, strong. So beautiful today. And they were like, what? They were shocked. Really shocked. Because like, people have these, at the back of their mind, they believe that people in prison, they're not well fed. They're not well taken care of. And they are dirty, shaggy. But that is not the case. No. People in prison, they do bath. In rangata, we used to do our hairs. Social activities. Social activities, games. We even have miss rangata now. Yes, Alice Command. There are activities there. We used to play, okay, we get into prison activities like acting, the choirs, sakata things. There are so many activities going on. So before we go to what you did after prison, what is that biggest lesson you learnt from living in prison? Nelson Mandela said his biggest lesson was that he could self-reflect. Because in a prison cell, you don't talk to anybody. All you have are your thoughts. He could self-reflect and have conversations with himself so much. And it made him realize so many things about himself. What was that big lesson for you? For me, I learnt to appreciate freedom. Freedom is expensive. Then you can just walk from your house to that shop downstairs and buy yourself anything. Then you just decide that today I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay indoors. The power to decide. The power to decide. You know, prison is one place that no is not an answer. Walk this way. You walk. You walk. Jump. You jump. Have lunch, yes. No is not an answer. And it is not an option. So you learnt to appreciate freedom so much. Yes, and even those little things in life. Like today, you just walk somewhere and you just don't like something as little as a tissue paper. That is something that is not of much importance to us. But I learnt to appreciate those minute things in life. Because there are those times that I would run out of it. And I would borrow from a friend who in turn feels like Noxidia Sana. So those small things in life which seem to be meaningless. I learnt to appreciate them. And then I learnt to utilise every minute that I have. Every moment of my life, I utilise it positively. Because back there, we used to do a lot of things. So after I went through cancelling, not to accept myself while they are... Cancelling is pre-being released or after being released? Okay, even when you get into prison. Or you meet counsellors. You meet counsellors there. So it is dramatic. It is a very quick dramatic turn of event of your life. And this is a place to reform people. Not to punish them. Not to punish them. You know, you get cancelled, you accept your station. And there are so many courses that go in there. I used to paint, beadwork. Every opportunity that came. I used to read a 400 page novel within two days. Because it just wanted to keep my mind occupied. And I think that's why I developed a passion for teaching. Because no, after one year, my mum came and picked my son. So I was left all alone there. I don't have a now a baby to look after. So I used to know my energy to do something else. The prisoners, there are those who did not know. Even the simplest concept of education. R-A-U-O-O. So we would take them with a certain lady. We would go teach them. Imagine teaching a 50-year-old granny. The vowels. Wow. It was such an experience. Yes. This is how you developed a passion for teaching. Just seeing somebody come from knowing nothing to at least expressing themselves. The inspiration would be like this person after knowing how to read. Then a book they would read was the Bible. Yes. Because Bibles are in plenty there. They are given free. Yes. All right. And this is somewhere you also got in touch with your spiritual side. Yeah. You're a very prayerful person now. Yes. How does this help you find the balance in your life, religion and prayer? Yes. Okay. It has helped me overcome. I feel like whenever I pray, I release some of the burdens that I have. It has been a tough life after date. But I believe that all my battles, they are worn on my knees. All right. From going to high school facing stigma because you told me everybody in your school knew the story in the long run. Now you're in campus in your third year, by the way, about to finish your bachelor's degree. How have you managed to cope with the stigma? Because it's not easy not to look at you different. Okay. I think the only thing that I was lucky is when I was released. When I was released, I just went home and stayed for maybe a month and then went back to school. The challenge that we have today with our prisoners, whenever they go home, people have this misconception that when a prisoner gets home, gets into prison, they get hardened. No. The only problem comes when they reintegrate back to the society. They stick myself. It's all right. So when they get home, they are not well harmed easily because everybody has labeled you as a person who is a dangerous person. This is the next convict? Yes. This is not a... So you find that even your family is not well-coming and the society at large views you differentiate. And there is no one who wants to have a shared view. So they only... Who are talking about you behind your back? The only people who you fit, they are those who are the bad persons, the bad company, the thieves. They'll take you because you'll be like a mentor to them. Because they believe that with the experience in prison, you'll teach them how to stay away from police, to devise new tactics. So they are also associating with you for their own personal gain. Yes. And with that, you find yourself with the wrong company once more and you find yourself back to prison. But had these persons been received well, given the necessary accommodation, the family to receive them with love, I believe the current prisons... We actually don't refer them as prisons nowadays. We call them the Correctional Facilities. Because there are so many things which are going, there are so many skills which are being given and once they get out, they can utilize them for the benefit of the society and for their own gain. Alright. It's not easy to share your story like this, especially a story like this one on national TV. What are you... What is your goal with this? What are you planning to achieve by sharing your story? I always believe that prevention is better than cure. So these people who believe that, you know, there are those things that... I believe you have gone somewhere and you had people that... My friend will call the police. But the moment that you get in their snare, it's not easy to get out. So I believe that youths can stay away from crime. There are better ways to solve problems. There are better ways to solve problems. And even those people who feel like I need... I have an outburst. I am depressed. Speak. Let it out. Let people know what you're going through. Because they'll come at a time that you'll get a point of saturation. You'll take no more. And you're going to react. And the reaction will be negative. So it's better to speak and let it out. Speak and let it out. Don't let things cloud inside you. Yes. That is a lesson that you teach people. Yes. And as parents, let's not dictate to our children. Unless the son wants to be a teacher, unless the son wants to be a DJ, sit them, engage in dialogue. Let this person tell you the pros and cons of what you're about to do. Get to an understanding. Get to an understanding. Get to an understanding. Yes, agree. And then from there, you can fight away for it. Because when they start down with my dad and just talk like, Dad, this is what I want. And this is what maybe I really wanted to do. Maybe probably could not have gone through all that. And I know that my dad, the person that I know him to be, we would have agreed. But to say, no, here I am. I have that fear of my parents. And I want to respect them. I want to do what they want. But not what everyone wants. But at the end of the day, I cannot pretend that all through. It will come to a thing that the person is going to be seen. To come out. Yes. Wow. And the reality will be seen. And when it comes to that, the tunnel events, it's never positive. You create problems, we're running away from others. And when you run away from a small problem, you create a bigger one. Yes. So always face your problems. Solve them. Yes. Speak out. Don't let your problems cloud inside. The final outburst might be very dangerous. Yeah. Or even fatal sometimes. Right. And also avoid, just avoid certain situations. Sure. These things are avoidable. Wow. You are going to be a teacher in a few years. Yes. What are you going to be specializing in? Mathematics and chemistry. Mathematics and chemistry. Yes. Why did you pick mathematics and chemistry? I believe that I wanted to be an engineer. And I believe that when I get in class, I'll make engineers. So you're going to channel that passion through teaching them mathematics and chemistry. Yes. And also I love interacting with the youths to talk to them. And it feels good to me. It is satisfying me when I see somebody working in a wrong direction and then changes. And then I also work with the youths to sensitize people on the importance of helping people from the correctional facility to integrate properly in the society. And I also tell people that these people in prison, they are not less human beings. They are not less Kenyans. They just made a mistake. And some of them were circumstances. They just found themselves in circumstances. I also believe you've made a mistake and you'll be like, hey, I'm a failure. It's only that the law has not caught up with you. Yes, exactly. Yes, everybody is a potential client to the prison. Let's stop fighting fingers at them. Let us support them. They need us for them to come back and not to cause another menace. They need our love. They need just the support that is all they need. And also it's the high time people came out and they support those people in prison. Like today, working with Farraja Foundation, Farraja has done extremely, extremely, a lot for the prisoners in Kenya. They give counseling. They've given a total transformation to the prison. Scholarships as well. Yes, I was under their scholarship, by the way, after prison. And they do a lot of things. Like when you go to Rangata today, you just get inside there. You wonder what's really... Is this one really a prison? Because they believe they have given them the human treatment they deserve. They've made their hybridization process very human and bearable. Wonderful. As we come to the end of this, it's not easy going through what you went through and I'm pretty sure that people you've met along the way that really gave you support. But to me, a shout out, just look them straight into their eyes, number four. Okay. Okay, Dad, I know you're watching. I love you so much, Dad. I could not be where I am today. I didn't for your support and love. I know my son is watching. Happy birthday, son, once more. I love you so much. You are my inspiration and I'm always proud of you. Ken, whoever you are, I just love you so much. And I believe that with your support, I'll be able to walk through this. My family, my mom, my sisters, thank you so much. There's another lady. She's a grace midi. Wherever you are, say hello to me. I don't know how to say a shout out. They're all of a massive foundation. Thank you for the channel that you people give, the Farajah fraternity. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for this wonderful chance you've given me to represent you there as a brand ambassador. I'm proud of you for whatever you do. And everybody there who has made my life bearable. Anybody there who has made me who I am today, thank you, thank you, thank you so much. And when I was 3 years old, I was in high school. When I was casting, I was wearing a jacket. When I was in high school, I was wearing a jacket. I forgive you all. Thank you very much, Beatrice, for coming through to Y in the morning. You're a true strength of a woman. You're a true strong woman right here. And we appreciate you so much. Keep doing what you're doing for the ex-convict and the convict and the humans in general. We appreciate you. We have come to the end of strength of a woman. And be sure to catch it on YouTube later on if you miss this or the repeat will be at 2pm. Don't go by the name of BiMoses or it's by Monevi Social Media Platform. Calamity Valley is coming up next with Thal's Talk. And you can ask whatever you want to ask on this next segment. Don't go nowhere.