11-Year-Old Writes A Book To End Sexual And Gender-Based Violence

Evan Williams is an 11-year-old boy from Nairobi, Kenya who has written a short adventure story for children and is planning to use his talent to raise half a million Kenyan Shillings for a local charity, Usikimye.

The book, called Mason’s Mission, is now available to buy online in an electronic format and Evan is hoping to sell 1,000 copies in order to meet his goal.

Usikimye (www.usikimye.org) is an organization working towards ending the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The organization exists to ensure that women, girls, and boys from Kenya and its environs are safe and free from violence, exploitation, neglect, and abuse and have safe access to high-quality comprehensive responses that are appropriate to their individual needs, vulnerabilities, capacities while at the same time are age and gender-sensitive.

Despite being reliant on well-wishers donations, Usikimye runs a number of programs. Usikimye has 3 SGBV Rescue Shelters, an SGBV response hotline (the first 24/7 non-government-funded GBV hotline in Kenya -0800-000-999), Inua Binti (A Pandemic Mitigation Program On the Sex For Pads shadow pandemic), a feeding program for children in informal settlements of the Soweto Slum (14,000 plates a month), A Mental Health Platform, Kenya’s 1st centralized GBV service providers database called Tunawiri (a collective referral program of the network of 400 civil society organizations) and artistic and librarian literacy program for disadvantaged and underprivileged girls in informal settlements.

Evan is determined to help children live their best lives. “I am fortunate to live in a safe, loving, and healthy home. I would like to help those that don’t have this privilege. I think that Usikimye are doing a really good job of keeping people safe and I thought that if I sold my book, I could find a way to support the work that they are doing.”

Njeri Migwi of Usikimye is delighted that Evan is raising money for their organization. “Our organization operates entirely on donations. Without the support of the public, we cannot continue to offer the resources and services we do to those who are victims of Gender-Based Violence or abuse. If Evan is able to reach his target and sell 1,000 copies of his eBook, those funds will enable us to provide 240 survivors a month with safe housing, access to food and medical care; provide 108,000 plates of food to school-going children in Soweto Slum; give 6,000 girls a sanitary towel a month and provide thousands of GBV survivors with rescue support through the contact center.”

Greenspoon, Kenya’s top purveyor of quality, sustainable food, has agreed to sell the eBook through their online shop as part of their core philosophy of being a purpose-driven company that does business for good.  The eBook, which is available now www.greenspoon.co.ke for KSH550.00, is about 12-year-old Mason and his epic adventure searching for treasure in the Grand Canyon. On his mission, he takes on a host of challenges and meets a number of interesting characters. Fast-paced and action-packed, Mason’s Mission is a fun read that will not only keep you enthralled but also leave you thinking about the real treasures in your life.

Together, Evan Williams, Usikimye and Greenspoon, are proving that no matter who we are, where we come from, or even how old we are, we all have the resources to make a difference and change lives for the better.