Educating street children in the Mathare slums

Hello friends,

Allow me to share one of the ‘Stories of Change’ from the Teenage Mothers Program here at Mathare Children’s Fund Panairobi. It’s a passionate appeal to you to help these teenage mothers who change their stories through their encounter at MCFP.

My name is Stella (not her real name). I am a student at the garment making section of the teenage mothers program. I love what I do and this learning has made me feel worthy and improved my self-esteem. I now have a plan on how I will establish my small business once I leave this place. Here is my story.

I joined form 1 in 2019 in a day school. I was eager to learn and acquire knowledge. I was an active girl in school and had the responsibility of waking up early in order to open the school gate for the other students to be able to access the classrooms. I also had several other responsibilities in the school. Later every evening, I would go back home and do some gardening before helping my mother with the house work like cooking, bathing my younger siblings as well as doing laundry for the people living near me and they would pay me some little money. I barely had time to do my homework. I needed to do this minor jobs so that we could have something to eat when my mum’s business was down financially.

My mother had a small business of selling roasted maize (corn) by the roadside. This would earn her Kshs 30 – 50 a day and there were several days she would return home without having made any profit. On such days we would use the savings I made from my laundry business and if I did not have any savings left, we would sleep hungry. This was a normal thing for us and we would sleep hoping the next day would be better.

My mother and I live in a single room together with two of my siblings. My mother being a single parent was forced to do different odd jobs to meet our needs. In most cases meeting the basic needs (food, water, clothing & education) was a challenge and that’s how we live till today.

I got pregnant in my first year of school. I was 16 years of age. I did not know anything about sexual and reproductive health. It was shocking to me and the first thing that came to my mind was suicide. I did not know how I would bring up my baby with all the poverty related challenges that we faced at home. I tried to hide my pregnancy but my mum soon found out and she was furious about it. Everyday living at my home became a nightmare as my mother constantly reminded me of how stupid I was for getting pregnant. I was a firstborn in my family and my mother saw me as a failure and a bad example to my younger siblings. This caused emotional stress to me and I was often crying especially at night when everyone was asleep.

I had to drop out of school due to stigma from the other students. The teachers however were very supportive and gave me counselling sessions and advised me not to abort the baby which was something I had considered to do. At home the environment became more hostile and I ran away to live with the father of my child. He did not know I was expectant and when I told him I sensed he was not ready to take up responsibility. He was jobless and saw me as a burden. He later relocated to the country side without my knowledge and minimized communication between us. I was left hopeless, bitter and scared of the future.

I never attended any prenatal clinics until I was 8 months pregnant. My mother looked for me and she took me back home, constantly reminding me how I had messed her life by getting pregnant. I went back to the same old struggles and this affected me. I had lost a lot of weight, lost most of my friends and not done any preparation for my unborn baby. I hated myself.

My due date arrived and I must say it was the worst day of my life. I was not prepared for the baby both mentally and physically. My mother and I went to the chief for assistance but he referred us to the maternal department at Pumwani Hospital. I was in pain all through. I was admitted with the help of the letter that the Chief gave us. I was in the hospital for one week since I had developed some complications associated with prolonged labor and due to the fact that I was 16 years. My mother loaned some money from her friends to clear my medical bill.

I was later discharged and went home. Every day we would have conflicts with my mum as she insisted I had to pay back Kshs. 3000 she used to clear my medical bill. During one of our arguments with my mother, she pushed me so hard and I fell and hurt my hip which was painful. My mother would constantly abuse me emotionally through her hurtful words and it was traumatizing for me. My mother claimed that I was a failure by getting pregnant with a boy who couldn’t provide for the child. She chased me away the second time and we spent many days without talking to each other. I resulted to selling roasted maize with my baby by the roadside to be able to buy food for my baby. Life was tough.

After selling my roasted maize and sleeping on the roadside for 2 days, a stranger approached me and offered to take me to Kariobangi Pro – life which she did. Pro – life later contacted MCFP and I received assistance. My life started changing for the better. I was welcomed and two social workers from MCFP visited my family and had a long talk with my mother. There was hope.

Two months later I was enrolled in the garment making training which I have been faithfully attending. Am determined to finish the course and empower myself. My baby is 7months old now and healthy thanks to MCFP Teenage mothers program. In the evening after school, I sell roasted maize and I have some savings amounting to Kshs. 1700. The roasting business earns me Kshs. 80 a day. I use Kshs. 50 for my baby essential needs and the remaining money I save it through a small financial savings group that I joined while at MCFP. I plan to use my savings once I complete my garment making training at MCFP. I will purchase a tailoring machine as well as increase my stock at my maize roasting business.

Through MCFP intervention, I was able to make peace with my mum and am gradually paying her the money she used to offset my medical bill. Things have now improved in my home and am happy. I have learned to love my baby and my self-confidence has improved. Here at the teenage mothers program, am able to interact with other girls who make me feel valued and we encourage one another. My only prayer is that MCFP can continue empowering vulnerable girls like me through their programs.

I am in the process of planning my exit from MCFP once the garment making training is over. I intend to start a tailoring business since I now have the skills to do it as well as expanding my maize roasting business. Currently I have Kshs. 1700 as my savings but it is not enough. Please help me raise more funds so that I can purchase a tailoring machine, and hopefully get some money to hire a small room space where I will be doing my garment making business. This will go a long way in ensuring that my 7 month baby will have her basic needs met and I will be able to take her to school when she gets to 3 years.

This is my story of change! Please assist me so that through it I can also empower another!

Thank you!

Stella