In a small village nestled in the heart of Turkana County, Kenya, a story of resilience and hope unfolds.
The film ‘Nawi’ tells the tale of a courageous 14-year-old girl named Nawi, who, despite the weight of familial expectations and societal norms, believes that her future is bright.
Her journey is one of self-discovery, standing up for her dreams, and speaking out against the age-old tradition of child marriage in her Turkana community.
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The story begins in the compound of Eroo, a typical Turkana man who lives a polygamous life with his three wives.
Eroo holds fast to the community’s belief that daughters should be married off as soon as they mature, regardless of their age.
A wealthy suitor is considered a blessing, a rare opportunity that must be seized without question. In Eroo’s world, daughters do not get a say in their future; they are commodities to be traded for livestock and social standing.
But Nawi, the firstborn daughter of Eroo’s third wife, is different. She has a spark that cannot be easily extinguished.
Nawi is not content with the traditional path laid out for her. She loves education and dreams of attending Alliance Girls High School in Nairobi.
To Nawi, Nairobi symbolises opportunity and freedom—the chance to become the best version of herself. Whether it’s as a pilot, teacher, lawyer, or architect, Nawi’s dreams are as vast as the Turkana sky.
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Nawi’s aspirations are cruelly cut short on the day her KCPE results are released. Her hard work pays off, and she scores an impressive 455 marks.
But instead of celebrating, Nawi’s world comes crashing down. On that very day, her father Eroo announces that she will be married off to Shadrack, a man old enough to be her father.
Eroo has already received a dowry of 60 sheep, 8 camels, and 100 goats—a price too high to resist, even for a daughter as bright as Nawi.
Both Nawi and her mother are devastated by this decision, but in their world, they have no power to defy Eroo’s wishes. Feeling cornered, Nawi initially agrees to the marriage. But as night falls, so does Nawi’s resolve to accept her fate.
The next morning, with the courage of a lioness, Nawi runs away from her village, determined to reach Nairobi and reclaim her dreams.
Nawi’s journey is fraught with challenges. As she travels south, she encounters kind strangers who offer her work, allowing her to earn her way bit by bit.
But her path takes a dramatic turn when her half-brother Joel, Eroo’s son from his first wife, finds her hiding place.
Joel delivers shocking news: their father has decided to marry off Nawi’s unborn sister to Shadrack. Nawi realises that her escape will only condemn her sister to the same fate she fled from.
Determined to save her sister and challenge the system, Nawi returns to her village with a bold demand.
She agrees to go back to her husband Shadrack on one condition: Eroo must promise never to marry off her sister.
Nawi’s act of defiance sets the stage for a shift in societal norms, but it comes at a great personal cost. Nawi becomes pregnant and tragically dies in childbirth. Yet, her story does not end there.
Her younger sister, fittingly named Hope, embodies Nawi’s legacy. Hope carries forward her sister’s vision, ‘Million Dream’, fighting for the rights of women and girls in Turkana.
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The film premiered on August 24, 2024, at Anga Cinemas, attracting the attention of top leaders from Turkana County, including the Deputy Governor, Senator, and Members of Parliament. ‘
‘Nawi’ is more than just a film; it’s an educational feature that sheds light on the harsh reality of illegal child marriage, still prevalent in rural Turkana.
The film, shot in early 2023, is a collaboration with the NGO Learning Lions. It aims to bring awareness to an issue that affects many young girls. According to a 2015 UNICEF report, one-third of women in Turkana were married before the age of 18.
Many of these girls are forced to drop out of school to start families, robbing them of their dreams and potential.
