In a harrowing tale of courage and resilience, Terry Gobanga, formerly known as Terry Apudo, emerged victorious against all odds. Living in Nairobi, Kenya, she was on the verge of marrying her love in a grand celebration at the All Saints Cathedral. However, fate took a dark turn when she was abducted, brutally assaulted, and left for dead miles away from her home.
Terry vividly recalls the horrifying incident: as she was returning home, a stranger forcibly abducted her and threw her into a speeding car, where she was assaulted by several men. In a moment of sheer bravery, she fought back, even managing to injure one of her attackers. Eventually, she was thrown out of the moving car, left unconscious by the roadside.
Miraculously, a child witnessed her being tossed out of the vehicle and raised an alarm. Rescuers rushed her to the hospital, where she was barely recognizable, battered and stabbed. Despite the odds, Terry survived. Her nightmare didn’t end there. Tragedy struck again after her marriage, when her husband fell victim to carbon monoxide poisoning. Terry found herself widowed, facing societal judgments, and struggling to find her purpose.
In the midst of adversity, love found its way back into her life through Tonny Gobanga, a man who saw beyond her scars and wanted to marry her. Terry, initially hesitant, allowed love to enter her heart again. Despite societal backlash, they got married, and Terry found herself blessed with not one but two children.
Driven by her own painful experience, Terry founded a non-governmental organization named Kara Olmurani, dedicated to helping survivors of adult assault. Her story of triumph over trauma serves as a beacon of hope, inspiring others to rise above their circumstances. Terry’s journey from a survivor to a beacon of hope showcases the power of resilience and the human spirit’s ability to overcome even the darkest of challenges. Through her work and her life, she continues to spread the message of strength, forgiveness, and the importance of supporting survivors of trauma.
By BBC swahili