Mercy, not her real name, is a 19-year-old girl who withdrew from school after being impregnated by her boyfriend and forced into marriage. Her parents made it clear that they could not take care of the pregnant daughter and without any reservations, she was told to be with the man who had impregnated her. She had no choice but to enter into marriage and drop out of school at the age of 15. She gives an account about her life as a young mother and the turning point for the predicament she was in.
“My life completely changed after moving out of my parent’s house since I had to shoulder the responsibility of being both a wife and mother. I was failing to get enough food for the family and to clothe myself and my child. I was living a stressful life….” laments Mercy.
She further added that she had to rely on piecework to make ends meet. Mercy’s mother concurs that she regretted sending her daughter away to a man who was not responsible for providing for the needs of his family. The family was also the talk of the village as the consequences of the irrational decision of the parents could not be hidden.
Fortunately, there was a Tiyambe TfD performance that was performed at EPM’s Chisambo Estate where Mercy and her mother also attended. The performance exposed the plight of a young girl who was also forced into marriage after being impregnated by her boyfriend and had to go through some complications during delivery.
“The performance ignited a critical reflection and desire to go back to school upon seeing how a young girl in the play suffered due to teenage pregnancy which is similar to what I went through. My determination to go back to school grew stronger,” expressed Mercy.
The performance also assisted Mercy’s mother in finally making a bold decision to remove her daughter from marriage, help her raise her grandchild, and readmit her back to school. Mercy went back to school and she is now in STD 7 at Nalingula Primary School in Mulanje. She urges other young girls to go back to school because education is a human right for all regardless of one’s gender, sex, age, and status.
“I plea with fellow parents and the nation at large to stop marrying off their teenage daughters. If our teenage daughter has been impregnated, it is our responsibility to take care of her and allow her to go back to school after delivery. This will help in safeguarding their future,” pleads Mercy’s mother.
Mercy dreams of being a nurse because she is inspired when she sees young ladies like her serving patients whenever she visits the hospital. She pleads with young girls that they should not get carried away with what people in their community say against them when they return to school as young mothers. Through her career, she also aspires to contribute to the development of her community.
