Writing this on behalf of the child, regardless the gender, who walks so long to school, who lacks meal sometimes, who can’t afford school fees, health services, facing sexual harassment and gender based violence and bad enough who lacks person to talk to, the one who can absolutely give him hope to achieve his or her dream.
I am the child, a little one, from Africa.
My name is Chi, and am from Africa, a beautiful continent, when I was born, may be my mother felt happy that I came in her life, to my father the same.
I too have a dream, I want to be my dream. But, things had changed and they keep on changing every single day. And, I can’t see what’s future hold for me. Walking so long to school, things roll in my mind, will I find food when I get back home from school? Will I find my father drunk again and beat my mom so hard? And, for how long will I stay at school, as I even don’t know when I will be in my period, may be its today? Aggrrr, and this cousin at home, Will I find him there?
Waking up from these morning dreams while walking. Here I am, at school assembly. Hearing from headteacher, “If you didn’t pay school fees then go back home now”. I didn’t even get a chance to defend myself. Slowly, way to home.
Scared of being around home when mother is not there, my cousin always force me to have sex with him, oh, this is so dangerous. Whenever trying to tell mother about this, she keeps me quite and never want to speak to cousin.
On my way, hearing from carpenter , “hey girl, you are now deserving a husband, am enough for you, you are beautiful, come close girl, come (while touching me randomly)”, with a long breath I took, I didn’t even dare to answer him a single word. I kept moving.
Under the tree, tired, but it is still morning, well I didn’t get enough time to sleep during night, our house is small, and am supposed to sleep with my cousin in one room, am not happy with it. A girl passed where I was, asking her, where are you going and you have paid the fees? She said, she is in her period, and she can’t get access to sanitary pads, way to home for 7 days till her cycle ends. Uhh.
It is just a half day, but all these, limit me from achieving my wonderful dream!
Can you please assist me one thing, the thing is, you to be part of change. Be the one I can trust staying with at home, not like my cousin, be the one who can advocate against earlier marriage not for it, the one who can raise awareness on sexual reproductive health and rights, the one who can assist the recreation of favorable policies which can make easier way to my success. YOU ARE THE ONE TO DO SO.
Both young girls and boys face these kinds of challenges towards their dreams, some win them and some fail. Help one today by just being part of change. Chi represents over 400 million children especially girls, who face these kind of challenges. This year, United Nations is commemorating 75th anniversary with the theme, “Shaping Our Future together”, this is a call to all people regardless the gender, color, country, and the class, they are called to use their positions and voices to bring changes from individual level to global level. Be part of change makers when we shape this world to be a better place for everyone.
wonderfully poem
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