I grew up in the slums, where the biggest challenges for many young girls were early pregnancies, drug and substance abuse, or both. Dreams were easily swallowed by poverty and survival struggles.
At 18, I became a mother for the first time, and by 19, I had my second child. My youthful years, the time when I was supposed to dream freely, were suddenly filled with diapers, tears, and responsibilities.
I dropped out of school to care for my children, relying on the little support my parents could offer and occasional help from my baby daddy’s side. My life goals felt shattered. I would look at myself in the mirror and see only brokenness, a young woman with fading dreams. I often wondered if anything good could ever come out of me.
But deep down, I held onto a small light of hope that education could open a new door for me. When my firstborn was four and my second child three, I made a bold decision to return to school.
I wanted to finish what I had started. My parents supported me, and I enrolled back into high school. At that time, I was already married to the father of my children, but when I decided to go back to class, the marriage couldn’t survive the shift. We separated.
Despite the struggles of balancing between the roles, I pressed on. I completed my two remaining years of high school at the age of 24. Later, I joined college and did a short course due to finances (banqueting operations), finished my studies, and eventually secured a government job as a civil servant six years after finishing college.
It felt like life had given me a second chance. In the years that I wasn’t able to secure a job, I decided to shift my career into counseling, so I enrolled for a diploma in counseling psychology, which helped me understand so much about human behavior and how to handle issues affecting teenagers and hurting women.
After one year of going back to school, we reunited again with my husband and continued with life. But then came another storm; my husband cheated on me with different women and had a child with the most recent one. This broke me to the core.
Behind closed doors, I experienced rejection, betrayal, and deep emotional pain. I faced nights filled with tears, anxiety, and confusion, questioning my worth, my marriage, and even my faith. Yet, in that darkness, something profound began to awaken within me.
I realized that healing is not about forgetting; it’s about becoming whole again. I began my intentional healing journey, facing my pain, reclaiming my identity, and rediscovering my inner strength. Through prayer, reflection, and therapy, I turned my wounds into wisdom.
That journey birthed Awakened Wellness Center (not yet registered but soon it will be) which is a space dedicated to helping women and young people heal emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I furthered my diploma in counseling psychology, and I am currently doing my Bachelor’s degree in Counseling Psychology.
Today, I am not just a survivor; I am a vessel of hope.
I speak, write (I came up with 5 stages of healing and turned it into a workbook though not yet published), and counsel from experience. My story is a reminder that no matter how broken your beginnings are, you can still rise, rebuild, and live a life of meaning.
My mission is simple yet powerful: to help young girls and hurting women find healing, strength, and purpose beyond their pain.
Every scar tells a story. Mine tells of resilience, grace, and the beauty of awakening.
Name: Margaret Mwende
Professional Title: Counselling Psychologist
Bio: Margaret Mwende is a 32-year-old woman who believes in her motto “pursue it until you achieve it”, meaning there is no room for giving up either as a child or an adult. She also believes in compassion for everyone since everyone has that need to be cared for, to be supported in healing from any pain they’re going through. And Margaret firmly believes in resilience after the storms that come our way.
