Sharon

My name is Sharon.  I am 16 years old.  I live with my mom and my step dad.  My mum has 3 other children with my step dad.  He loves his children so much but doesn’t like me at all. When I was 10 I became so sick and my grandmother took me to hospital. I tested positive and was started on treatment. 

My grandmother took care of me until I was 12.  She died after being sick for a while and after her burial my mom took me to stay with her. A week after staying at my mom’s house my step father raped me.  I told my mum about it. They had a big fight but it was agreed that the issue is not discussed out of the house and that it remains a family secret.  My mom took me for post rape care. After that time my step father developed very strong hatred for me. He refused to support me in any way.  My mum had to pay my school fees. Last year my mum lost her job. This year she asked my step dad to pay my fees and he told her he would do no such thing. In the last semester of the year the counselor from Lean on me managed to get some funds and paid part of the school fees arrears I had and I was allowed back in school. I hope they will continue paying my school fees because my step dad is putting so much pressure on my mum to marry me off.  I want to have education like other children.  I don’t want to be married off early because I know it is not the best thing for a girl child.