Almost a Child Bride

Last week I had my Form I students write a composition about a real life experience, something that actually happened to them. The themes were: A Close Shave, A Perilous Experience, A Nerve Jarring Experience. Unfortunately, most of them created a fiction story. However, this one is true. This student’s father was going to marry her off at the age of 14. I’ll let her tell her own story in an edited version.

A Close Shave

It was on a Friday morning when I woke up at the crack of dawn. On that day we were going to have visitors. I quickly ran to the frog’s kingdom (outdoor bathing area) to have a shower. Without wasting time I went and dressed in my best dress. After that I went to see what was happening in the kitchen.

Mmh! I was welcomed by the fresh aroma that wafted in the air. My mum was frying some chicken and mandazis (fried bread similar to doughnuts). I sat next to her and asked her about the visitors who were coming. Tears started falling down her cheeks like a waterfall. For sure I wondered what was happening.

I stood and went to the dining room to have my breakfast. At around nine o’clock I saw an old man coming to our home. I did not know whether he was our visitor or not. I quickly ran and told my father that we had a visitor.

When the visitor arrived, I was told by my father to go outside because they had a serious issue to talk about. After some hours my mum came while crying and told me to run to Grandmother who lived in Kenya to get some assistance. My father was planning to take me off to be married.

I wondered how I could run from Tanzania to Kenya, but I decided to do so because I did not want to follow the customs and traditions of the Hehe tribe. My mum packed for me some food and within a minute I was off.

I arrived at my grandmother’s three days later feeling hungry, thirsty and tired. After my grandmother served me a delicious meal, I explained all that had happened. How I crossed the border and how I arrived.

After listening to the story, she took me to my aunt’s to continue with my education. I thank the Almighty because when I came to Kenya I knew how to speak English. (The official language in Tanzania is Kiswahili. Very few can speak English.) I want to pass my examination and have a good career so that I can go and teach for the tribe the importance of education especially for girls. That is why I am in St. Monica’s Girls High school.