Imoro: Back to school at age 31

By Yakubu Memuna and Yahaya Huzeifa

“My husband looked at me as if I were a stranger and said, ‘Why should an illiterate woman like you be my wife? Go back to where you came from.’” I was 12 years old when my father decided to pull me out of school and give me up for marriage to the son of one of his friends. In marrying me off, he knew that he would receive a bride price, and that he would no longer be financially responsible for me.

My grandmother took me to a different community in an effort to protect me. For two years, all of my family members tried to convince my father that I was too young to marry, but my father married me off anyway, at the age of 14.

Within five years, I gave birth to three children. When I was 20 years old, my husband took a second wife, leaving me and my children to fend for ourselves. My children were ages two, three, and five.

After my husband left, he stopped providing for our children. I did my best to support them by doing petty trade, selling spices, but I was only able to earn 8 Ghanaian cedis (£4/$8.00) a month. There were countless days that I sacrificed food in order to ensure that my children got the nourishment they needed—and still, sometimes we all went to sleep with empty stomachs.

After three years of trying to provide for my children on my own, I decided to search for my husband to seek help. When I arrived at his house after a six-hour journey, he looked at me as if I were a stranger and said, “Why should an illiterate woman like you be my wife? Go back to where you came from”. These words broke me and made me regret not continuing my education. They also forced me to realize that I would have to find a way to provide for my children as a single parent.

I grew much stronger during the period of time that followed. I was visited by a member of a community women’s association who had heard about my troubles, and I was invited to join the group so I could benefit from the knowledge and support of other women. Attending their meetings, I began to understand how critical it was to have an education. I had very good leadership skills, but other women had to translate for me so I could understand what was going on, and that diminished my confidence.

I decided to enroll in junior high school. I was 31 years old—by far the oldest student in the class—and I had to do a lot of catching up. I am now 38, and in my second year of senior high school.*

Through Camfed, I am doing community work. Girls on the verge of dropping out of school are sent to me for advice, and I tell them about the trauma that I went through as a result of my lack of education. I feel good about the work I do, because I am sure that many of the girls I meet would not have continued their education without my advice. Being regarded as a role model has given me a lot of confidence. This year, I was appointed to the district assembly by the local government. I am one of only two women, and I serve as the liaison between the government and my community.
When I finish high school, I would like to continue my studies at a science school, specializing in nutrition. Many children in my community are malnourished. I want to help advise them to eat right so that my community members will live healthier lives.

I feel very proud of what I have accomplished. I am looked up to in my community for triumphing over adversity and for having the courage to return to school as an older person.

*Note: Imoro once again dropped out of school after junior high, but was able to return to school with a scholarship from Camfed.

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