Last year, I did an article introducing Naiyango as a Kenyan-born German singer based in Cologne. It was an awesome online chat that led to me sharing her music story and Kenyan background. What I did not know was that, behind that energy and enthusiastic usage of the little Swahili that she remembers, did lie a dark secret, one that could only be handled by a person as strong as Naiyango had now become.

The courage to talk about her past experiences, is hard to come by, considering that she was defiled as a kid and raped as a teenager. Now, it’s music that has given her the courage to break the taboo, or as she says it “BreakTheTABU”.

Now a mother to a girl, she is more than inspired to share her story and make it a tool for fighting this kind of injustice.

“Yes, I know that most cases are never reported,” says Naiyango. “I believe it is because of the stigma that surrounds the subject. Most of the times victims are shamed for sharing their stories. Or, are told to keep their defilement quiet so that the family honor isn’t tainted. And such. But music heals, in my case, it became a medium where I finally had a voice. That’s why I wrote ‘worthy‘, a song to empower myself, my daughter and anyone else who has ever questioned their value.”

She shared a video talking about it, even narrating the story on her website.

She urges people to use the #BreakTheTabu hashtag on Twitter so s to help open the society more on issues to do with sexual harassment, rape and defilement. be sure to visit her website for more about her music.