Gloria

My name is Gloria.  I am 19 years old.  I lost my mum when I was 7 years old.  She succumbed to AIDS and was left under the care of my grandmother.  When my mum died I used to go to school.  When I was 12 one of my aunty was blessed with a baby and did not have a  help to take care of the baby. My grandmother asked me to go and take care of my cousin.  That is when I dropped out of school. My stay with my aunt was not easy.  She took every opportunity to punish me. 

When I was 15 she me out of her house.  I went back to my grandmother and after one month my uncle took me with the promise of taking me to school. I was excited only to reach his home and realize I had come to baby sit for them. At 16 I got pregnant and my uncle sent me from his home. I went to the father of my child but he was not ready for marriage yet.  He used to beat me up and leave me without food.  While going through violence living with him I met another man and moved in with him.  At 18, I conceived my second baby.  He has now sent me to live with his mum.  Life is so difficult in the village.  We hardly get enough to eat. I was  a bright student and I used to perform well in school.  I am also good in hairdressing and I trust that one day I will take a full course on hair dressing and earn a livelihood from it.  I am glad I am now in a support group and it makes me optimistic to see girls like me who had no hope get more meaningful lives.