Michael Jordan Family Opens Ksh1.3 Billion Gender-Based Violence Recovery Centre in KenyaMichael Jordan family has unveiled a Ksh1.3 billion gender-based violence (GBV) recovery centre through the Kenya Women and Children’s Wellness Centre (KWCWC) to tackle the rising cases of GBV in Kenya.
Funded by the James R. Jordan Foundation International, the center was inaugurated in Narok on Friday, March 8, by Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris Jordan.
Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu and First Lady of Narok Agnes Ntutu attended the ceremony of inauguration.
The facility has over 33 consultation rooms and labs that provide a range of services, such as antenatal services, immunization, family planning, counseling, laboratory services, emergency services, obstetrics and gynecology, and minor surgery. This makes it the largest facility in Kenya that handles GBV survivors.
The center will provide a range of critical services, including legal assistance, employment training, financial literacy, reproductive health education, mental health counseling, and leadership development. These services aim to empower survivors so that they can regain control and begin anew after escaping abusive relationships.
With one of the largest rescue shelters in the country, the center can accommodate over 90 GBV survivors or 20 families simultaneously.
Deloris pointed out that the center will play a very important role in offering the entire spectrum of assistance to GBV survivors and their families across the country.
“I have been in Kenya for some time, working with different governments since the Kibaki government. This center belongs to you, the people of Kenya—this is your nation,” she stated.
“As a foreigner, I ask you—what will your contribution be towards combating GBV? This is not only about women; we need men too. The Kenya Women and Children’s Wellness Centre is about assisting families,” she added.
Since the past 15 years, Michael Jordan’s mother has been instrumental in Kenya through her philanthropic efforts, particularly in initiatives that benefit women and children.
In 2009, she founded the Kenya Women and Children’s Wellness Centre (KWCWC) in Kasarani, Nairobi. Since its inception, the center has provided healthcare services, GBV care, and community outreach programs for families across the country.
Kenya has registered a worrisome rate of GBV cases, over 97 since August.
Gender-based violence, including femicide, has increased steadily over the past five years, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. The country seeks to eradicate GBV by 2026.