Josephine’s story
January 28, 2023My name is Mariam Mujoma, a former school dropout, and victim of sexual abuse and domestic violence.
I am a Master student, holding a Bachelor of Arts with Education, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation of the prestigious Makerere University, a Head Teacher with over ten years experience in education service ,an entrepreneur and a co-founder of Hindu Asha Foundation.
I am sharing my life story to inspire and encourage young girls and women out there encountering challenges in attaining quality education and socio - economic mobility.
From a school dropout to a Head Teacher
I dropped out of school after having been sexually abused and become a mother at the age of 12 just after i had completed primary seven (P7). A child taking care of another child at such a tender age was difficult and even then i did not see the possibility of going back to school. I thought that marriage was the only option i had left and i never saw any one going back to school once they got pregnant and gave birth anyway. After dropping out, by 15 (yrs), I had three (3) children and entangled in a marriage where i was very unhappy. I became a victim of domestic violence when the man i called my husband continuously abused my rights as a woman and beat me several times. The last stroll was when he denied me access to our family income which i contributed to through our farming activities, under the pretext that i could not count it after all, i was a school dropout. This marked the turning point in my life when i abandoned my children whom i could not take care of (four children including my self), and decided to go back to my father's house who had eleven (11) school going children apart from myself. I pleaded with him for another chance to have me re - enrolled in school regardless of my age- a decision he was very happy about because i was the only child who had not attained and was not attaining education.
Re - enrolment into formal education was challenging but i did not give up even when my school and/or classmates always made fun of me because i was older and they were conversant with my past. I also had to deal with the fact that i was the first born in my family and many of my young siblings had completed school and one of them was my class teacher! Imagine you are in a classroom of more than 100 students, you are the oldest, once married, a mother and your are one of the students whom your young sister is teaching! You must be of good courage.
Going back to school is one of the best decisions of my life." With all that i passed through after dropping out, i did not envision my life ahead without education and this is what gave me the strength and determination to stand against all odds to give education the first priority.
"There is no life for a girl without education in the world. With education, a girl child is a fully empowered child."
- My appeal to parents and guardians especially of girl children is; to keep a close eye on your children and assume that they are not safe at a friends or neighbors' house. Your child is only safe with you.
- The potential abuser of your child is not a stranger but some one you relate with and should your child fall victim, then your decision to seek justice might be compromised for the friendship you have with the abuser.
- Do not give up but support your children no matter the challenges they may encounter. The barriers to girls education are many and as girls escape one challenge, there is a chance of succumbing to another. Had my parents given up on me, then my story would have been different.
- Where as it takes extra ordinary courage to re-enroll into formal education after dropping out, it is not impossible.
- It is never late for any one to study. I therefore urge young girls and fellow women to get involved in acquiring knowledge in various fields and empower others.
We may not be able to empower every woman, but every empowered woman can empower another.
10 Comments
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