Hello, my name is Afoyorwoth Charity, and I'm an 18-year-old living with a child in Serule B village in Buliisa district. When I was 14 years old, my parents were no longer able to pay my tuition. My mother obtained a loan when my father lost his property. She wanted me to successfully complete primary school so that I could enroll in secondary school in my next village, where things were struggling since I was constantly being pursued from class.
I was 15 years old when my father had an agreement with his old-time friend who used to give him the money that supported us and with my other siblings. One morning, my father called me before going to school and he told that “My dear daughter, you will be staying with Mr. Abooki a gentleman that has been giving us the money for your school and our feeding”. It was bad news to us because l knew nothing about men and l had gotten my breasts and neither matured to a woman. At the age of 15 years, l was forced to go into marriage. It was difficult with me due to the fact that l got pregnant in the home of 4 women where l was given less care as a teen mother. Not forgetting my 60-year-old husband mistreated me every day that went.
At 16 years, l decided to run away from the abusive marriage, that left me with mental illness. I run to my mother for shelter but father wasn’t happy with my action. I was invited back again but still l couldn’t go back to school. Later that in 2021, an organization named Child Rights Development Foundation-CRIDEF came in our village for an economic empowerment that was to change many lives of adolescent girls and women. The project aimed at promoting valuable hand and entrepreneurial skills for adolescent girls and women in Buliisa district.
On my side, l was able to learn a lot from the project where l got skills in craft shoe making and formulation of a Village Saving and Loan Association with other members. After the training, our group was given a start-up capital of craft shoe materials and as well, we started saving from the profits we made from our products I urge all parents and stakeholders to talk to their children about sexuality education and as well give them the necessary survival skills to empower them. And thanks to CRIDEF for the opportunity towards a girl child.