IRISi has taken an important step beyond the UK, with the launch of IRIS-K in four areas of Kenya: Kibera, Thika, Nakuru and Gilgil. The “train the trainer” sessions took place in June across each area in three counties of Kenya.
While the set-up and format differ from the core UK model, the essence of IRIS remains unchanged in this international pilot: equipping healthcare professionals to identify domestic abuse and connect women with specialist support. In Kenya, the programme has been carefully adapted and co-created with local healthcare and community professionals to meet a very different reality, proving the strength of the model lies in its flexibility.
For Medina Johnson, CEO of IRISi, the launch of IRIS-K represents both a milestone and a personal passion. “This has been such a long time in the making and I am so excited to finally see it happening. In a year when Kenya has witnessed rioting, murders, police brutality, and gender-based violence used as a weapon, this initiative feels like a tiny beacon of light. It shows what is possible when communities and professionals come together to create safer futures for women. We are delighted to be in this partnership project with Strathclyde University, SAVE Kenya (Sisters Against Violence Everywhere) and our local mobilisers.
The expansion into Kenya underlines IRISi’s growing international reach. Over recent years, organisations from across the world have expressed interest in bringing the pioneering programme to their regions. With IRIS-K, the charity demonstrates how an evidence-based model developed in the UK can be re-imagined for very different contexts, while keeping its core commitment intact: ensuring women experiencing domestic abuse are identified early and offered the support they need.
IRIS-K is an international adaptation and a statement of IRISi’s diversity, range, and determination to extend healthcare’s role in tackling domestic abuse worldwide.