I am Hajah Kandeh, the founder of the Do Tell Foundation, an organization which, through a comprehensive holistic approach, aims to heal, empower, and provide a future for children whose lives are shattered by sexual and physical violence. 

Why Flowers from fire, why me, and why now? I was born in Sierra Leone and grew up in a culture where children are meant to be seen and not heard. This was the perfect set-up for the different forms of violations and abuse I suffered as a child. Conversations around child abuse, rape, and female genital mutilation (FGM) were considered taboo, as were those around the subjugation of women and the unending power men own. I was abused and violated as a child sexually, mentally, and physically. I had no one to protect me and I did not have a safe space to ask for help; my silence nearly cost me my life. I spent decades working on healing and, through grace, I have been able to do so.

Having said that, the suffering and atrocities I’ve experienced are still prevalent in today’s world, and the average age of children who disclose their trauma is between 7-9 years old, but they, sadly, endure years of abuse before disclosing it to anyone. Children most often do not tell for many complicated reasons. I tell my story not because it is easy for me to do so, but because it is what I must do to sound the alarm that this could be happening to your child or the child of someone you know and to give a voice to those who have been rendered voiceless. I started advocacy so that no other child will experience the horrors I experienced. After all, it is our collective responsibility as a society to all do our part to preserve the innocence of children who deserve nothing less than to be given a chance to grow up safe, whole, happy and fulfilled.

I will consider, as one of my key achievements, the founding of Do Tell Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims not only to provide a platform for victims to share their stories, but also to educate parents, caregivers and the general public on how to spot signs of a child in danger of being abused, and how to potentially prevent abuse.

A life-altering dream realized, is the writing of my memoir Daughter of A Thousand Stars, which is a clarion call to those who have experienced similar traumatic events to feel less alone and for those whose stories remain untold to know that in the telling of my story, I’ve told theirs too. 

One of my proudest moments and noteworthy accomplishments was graduating as a Fellow from Every Woman Treaty, which is an organization working on a universal treaty aimed at eliminating violence against women. This is a coalition of over 4000 women’s activists from 165 countries working to develop and advance a new protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW- A UN Treaty).

Among other triumphs and milestones is being recognised as Woman of the Week for my work as an advocate and community leader by Dallas Professional Women’s Association.

The biggest impact I believe I have made is through my memoir, which has broken down the doors and walls built around the secrecy of child abuse in the African culture as well as in America. 

My vision is to keep advocating both for better legislation to help prevent child abuse as well as severe punishment for perpetrators.  My greatest aspiration however, is to have my book be part of the curriculum throughout the continent of Africa and America with the aim of educating and creating awareness around this issue.  I strongly believe that there’s a reason we have ‘No Smoking’ signs at appropriate places. They serve as a deterrent.  I am working with lawmakers and city officials on a Treasure the Children Campaign, an initiative which will require all public spaces frequented by children, such as schools, gyms, churches, camps, mosques and many others, to all display unmistakable signs on their walls reading: “No child abuse! You are being watched, and you will be prosecuted.”

Please join my campaign. 
Thank you.