Anonymous

Kenya

Defying the norms

The hills protruded to block the light, after doing my form four exam. In our tribe, girls were seen as birds, birds that will fly one day to their matrimonial home. Girls were never counted as the heritage of the family, boys were valued as wealth and the father’s generation continuation.

Having completed my 12th grade, my extended family never expected me to be taken to college instead to get married off, as it was the norm. My uncle called my dad to warn him of furthering my studies, as he was educating me for another man. My dad kept a deaf ear and took me to college, where I could not even afford school. Life became as I was given a deferring letter to go and look for schools.

No one came to my heed, instead I sneaked back to college and was not marking the attendance list until I completed my course.