
,,I am a
child of
the heart.““
© Andrea Eidenhammer
Peninah
Lesorogol
© Andrea Eidenhammer

Peninah's Story:
A Woman Between
Two Worlds
Peninah Lesorogol was born into a Samburu community in northern Kenya, where tradition shaped a woman’s life.
But Peninah was curious. She questioned. And she kept asking why.
She became the first girl in her community to attend school.
She underwent female genital mutilation because she wanted to belong.
She entered an arranged marriage with a powerful politician. A life of privilege became a golden cage –
until a violent attack changed everything…
Today, Peninah lives between Kenya and Austria with her three sons. She fights for women’s and migrants’ rights, while remaining deeply connected to her culture and the people she loves.
Throughout her life, she kept asking herself:
How do you change the traditions that shaped you without losing the world you come from?
Peninah's heart is in both Kenya and Austria – she is a child of the heart. She does not want to turn her back on her culture. She wants to build a bridge between its past and its future.
Perhaps, change begins with one woman who dares to ask why.