I am a definition of what you would call a survivor.

I was 2 when my father left my mum and me. That’s how my mum and I started living alone.

I loved living with mum. She was a good woman. Although she was not rich but she made sure I never lacked anything.

Even though everything looked fine, there was one problem. My mother had anger issues. And when she got angry, she made life unbearable for me.

I remember the day I was accused of sleeping with our neighbour’s son. That day, she beat me until I fainted.

And when I woke up, she still punished me.

That was the day I started questioning if she truly was my mother.

After that incident, my mother changed towards me. It was almost like my mother didn’t like me anymore. She didn’t want me around her.

On different occasions she threatened to disown me. And one day it happened. My mother disowned me because I went to visit my aunt without her permission.

That’s how I ended up homeless. I had nowhere else to go except my father’s house.

Living with my father wasn’t so easy. He didn’t support education. He wanted me to get married and was putting a lot of pressure on me.

When I told him I wanted to go school and wasn’t ready for marriage he also disowned me.

That’s how I ended up on the street. I had no money and no-one to support me.

Things were really tough for me until I heard of an organization that helped young girls. I joined them.

They trained me. They showed me how to make a living for myself. Through them, I was able to start a small business, go back to school, feed and clothe myself. Life started getting better for me.

It has been 5 years since all these happened. I have grown to become a stronger woman.

My advice for young girls who are experiencing the same thing is to stay strong. Be patient. Don’t stop believing in yourself even if no-one believes in you.

If possible, see if you can talk to your parents. Let them know how you really feel.

Or you can also look for a trusted older adult to confide in. See if they can help you speak to your parents.

Another thing you can do is to look for organizations or groups that help young girls. Join them.

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