Teresa Njoroge’s Journey: From Prison to Clean Start Africa

:From wrongful conviction to empowerment, discover how Teresa Njoroge’s Clean Start Africa is transforming lives and breaking cycles of poverty and crime.

    By Charles Wachira

In 2009, Teresa Njoroge’s life took a devastating turn. 

Working as a banker for a local lender, she found herself entangled in a fraudulent transaction involving Ksh 9 million.

 Despite maintaining her innocence, Teresa was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to two years in prison, spending her time behind bars at Lang’ata Women’s Maximum Prison.

 What initially seemed like an ordeal destined to break her spirit became the catalyst for a transformative journey—one that would go on to change the lives of thousands of women and children in Kenya.

“When I was first convicted, I felt that my world had come to an end,” Teresa recalls. “But it was during that painful period that I encountered a reality I had never imagined: the stories of the women behind bars. The cycle of poverty, crime, and recidivism was so glaring. These women weren’t just criminals—they were victims of a broken system.”

Her time at Lang’ata exposed her to the harsh realities of incarceration, especially for women. Most of the women she met came from impoverished backgrounds, had little education, and were trapped in a vicious cycle of crime and poverty. 

Teresa’s experience with the justice system opened her eyes to the systemic issues that made it nearly impossible for former convicts, especially women, to successfully reintegrate into society. Stigma, discrimination, and a lack of support left many with no option but to return to crime as a means of survival.

Determined to break this cycle, Teresa founded Clean Start Africa in 2015, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering women and children transitioning from prison life back into society. 

Her vision was to create a bridge between incarceration and reintegration, offering practical support and hope for a fresh start.

“When I left prison, I realized society was unwilling to embrace us—former inmates. Even though I was wrongfully imprisoned, I was still viewed as a criminal. The world wasn’t ready to hear my story, let alone give me a second chance. That’s when I knew I had to fight not just for myself, but for all the women whose lives had been shattered by the system,” Teresa explains.

Initially, Teresa faced immense challenges trying to secure formal employment. Despite her background as a banker, no one wanted to hire an ex-convict.

“I tried getting back into the formal job market, but every door I knocked on was closed. It was devastating, but in that moment of despair, I found a new calling,” she shares. 

This realization led her to create Clean Start Africa using personal savings, family support, and small donations from friends. As the organization grew, it attracted grants from international donors, including the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and other charitable organizations focused on human rights and rehabilitation.

One of the flagship programs of Clean Start Africa is Ufunuo, a Swahili word meaning “revelation.” Through this initiative, women are equipped with essential workplace skills such as financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and vocational training. Psychological counseling is also provided to help them heal from the trauma of prison life, forgive themselves, and rebuild their lives with dignity.

“Through Ufunuo, we offer these women a safe space to rediscover their worth. We help them see that their past does not define their future,” Teresa emphasizes.

 “Most of them have suffered untold pain—some were incarcerated while pregnant, others have lost their families, and many were simply caught in desperate situations. But through our support, they are able to start over.”

Clean Start Africa also runs a safe house, providing a transitional home for women immediately after their release from prison. As of 2024, more than 4,000 women had passed through the organization’s programs, and 12 former convicts are employed full-time within the organization, offering peer support to others in similar situations.

Teresa’s work has gained recognition both locally and internationally. In 2017, she was invited to speak at TEDWomen, where she shared her story and vision for social justice and rehabilitation. 

Her efforts were further acknowledged when she received the National Diversity and Inclusion Award for promoting human rights in 2021, followed by a Head of State Commendation Gender Award in 2023. That same year, she was named one of the Top 50 African Women in Development by Donors for Africa, cementing her position as a leader in gender equality and social justice.

“I always say, if we want to build a better society, we have to start with the most vulnerable—those who have been forgotten by the system. Women and children leaving prison deserve a second chance, and Clean Start Africa is here to give them that,” Teresa says with conviction.

Teresa’s journey is marked by resilience, hope, and an unwavering belief in the power of second chances. She often shares a message of hope with the women she helps: “Holding onto hope is not about waiting for things to get better. It’s about making the decision every single day to keep going, even when it feels like the world is against you. When you’re in the darkest place, that’s when you need to find your own light.”

For Teresa, the mission of Clean Start Africa extends beyond Kenya. She dreams of replicating the model across Africa, ensuring that more women can break free from the cycles of crime and poverty. Her vision is to transform Africa’s prisons from places of punishment into platforms for rehabilitation and empowerment.

“We all deserve a second chance,” Teresa concludes. “And it is through giving others the chance to rewrite their stories that we, too, change the world.”

Teresa Njoroge’s work continues to inspire and uplift, a shining example of how one person’s adversity can ignite a movement that transforms countless lives. Through Clean Start Africa, she is giving women and children the tools they need to reclaim their dignity, build a better future, and break free from the chains of their past.

Keywords:Teresa Njoroge:Clean Start Africa:Women empowerment Kenya:Prison rehabilitation:Recidivism prevention