Buried under layers of survival ; mental health support for women with Fanikisha
- Hariet Mwangi
- Jul 29
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 31
In the quiet corners of Nairobi’s informal settlements, in the dusty lanes of Kangemi and the sun-drenched alleys of Kawangware, there are women who wake before dawn, not just to chase their dreams—but to keep their families afloat.
These are the women who run small stalls with trembling hands and unwavering determination. The ones who stretch a coin to cover school fees, food, and rent. The ones who, even when the weight of the world rests on their shoulders, still show up. Every day.
For these women, mental health is not a luxury. It's not something you sit down to "talk about over coffee." It’s something buried under layers of survival. There’s no time to "pause and breathe" when you're the sole provider, when your children look to you for everything. And so, community fades. Self-care becomes a foreign concept. And slowly, invisibly, their inner world begins to unravel.
The Invisible Load
Many of these women carry trauma that’s never been named. From gender-based violence to economic hardship, from abandonment to societal pressures—each story is stitched with pain and perseverance. But no one asks, “How are you really doing?” Instead, society applauds their strength, romanticizes their resilience, and forgets that even warriors need rest.
And this is where Kianda Foundation and the Fanikisha Program step in—not just with business skills and cookery classes, but with a much-needed lifeline: mental health support for women
More Than Business. More Than Bread.
At Fanikisha, something beautiful happens. After a morning of business consultations or cooking classes, the women gather—not just to talk shop, but to breathe. To sit in a circle and be heard. To finally say, “I’m not okay” and hear someone respond, “Me too.”
Group counseling sessions become sacred spaces. Laughter and tears mix freely. There's storytelling, silence, sometimes even song. Women begin to realize that healing doesn’t have to be loud. It can come in shared glances, in open hearts, in safe rooms.
Those who need deeper support receive personal counseling—private, confidential, and compassionate. Here, they unpack years of burdens. Many for the first time.
And just like that, the narrative begins to change.
From Breaking Down to Breaking Through.
One woman used to cry alone in her kibanda every evening after selling tomatoes. Now, she leads a prayer before her group therapy. Another who struggled to speak in public now confidently presents her business pitch. One has started mentoring a younger girl in her neighborhood because, in her words, “Someone finally saw me. I want to do the same.”
Mental health, for these women, is not just about emotions—it’s about empowerment. It's about reclaiming their voice. It’s about remembering they are more than their struggles. It’s about building community again, not just with others, but with themselves.
Fanikisha means ‘breakthrough’—and that’s exactly what this is.
Kianda Foundation, through Fanikisha, is proving that development without mental health is incomplete. That true transformation isn’t just about equipping hands, but about healing hearts.
So the next time you think of a woman running a small business in the bustle of a slum, don’t just see her as “strong.” Remember that strength sometimes needs softness. That the most radical thing we can offer her is not pity or praise—but presence. And a space to just be.
Because beyond the hustle, beyond the struggle, there’s a woman who deserves to live fully—not just survive.