Melissa

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I grew up with a single parent that is my mum and she sacrificed anything she had for the family of 5 (4 boys & a girl) since childhood not because my father had died but he denied us responsibility. During my senior four, final term I was found pregnant by the school management and my mother almost committed a suicide because I was the only hope left for her since all my other siblings are boys and I was the only girl. The deputy HM for the school comforted her, in fact she asked my mother to leave me in her hands if at all she thinks can no longer accommodate me.

Thank God the deputy HM said that statement because it’s from there that my mother gained courage to take me back home and from there i started living a shameless life with my family. The period for the exams reached and I was accepted to sit for the exams, surprisingly I passed very well but I had already become a disappointment and had no hopes of going back for an advanced level.

Life continued like that only in regrets but I had kept my dream career inside me and kept hoping that anytime I will achieve it. There happened a health centre within the locality and that’s where I used to go for the antenatal and our history as teenage mothers would be kept very well. The same centre, had partnerships with some non government organization and Somero Uganda is among of which its staff used to come over with their programs. At this time, the young mothers project was ongoing so the next time I came back for the antenatal, a health worker briefed me about the project and saw this as my turning point.

I immediately registered for the program at a free cost and started schooling. Perfect enough we used to study from the centre and were given enough time to attend to our babies, better still, mum was taking good care of her.

It wasn’t a an easy journey because at times I could study on an angry stomach, fail to get transport and at times had to get there on foot, actually I could board a taxi that dropped me at a certain stage, then could manage walking the remaining distance. I could reach at times late and tired so I couldn’t concentrate much, however I do appreciate our teachers who knew exactly what some of us were going through and could pardon us and this kept us going.

As time passed by, I started regaining my mother’s love because she started seeing what I was achieving since I used to be among best academic performers. Time reached, I sat for final exams and during my vacation, Somero Uganda management called me for a photo editing and videography job from a business mentor of the organization. At the job, they accommodate me, provide lunch and I get a monthly allowance. As I write this, I am living a good life in health, able to support my child and family, actually I am currently negotiating with my father to see that he sees me through my University Journalism course because my results were good enough for a university entry.

Watch the space for my date of graduation and your invitation for the ceremony.

Thank you Somero Uganda for making me the kind of person I am today!!