Rahma's Story

I go by the name Sofia. I was born in Mathare together with my six siblings. My parents were jobless and my mum was the breadwinner of our family. My father lived a mysterious life. He did not bother us. He was involved in chewing khat and smoking bhang. My mother continued struggling with us, she used to wash clothes, utensils for people so that at the end of the day she could manage to put food on the table for us. 

 

Life was not easy at all. So as the firstborn I decided to help my mother so I started collecting garbagas [?] from door to door and taking them to dumpsite where I could get some thrown foods and take them home to eat. My mother used to be happy because I have brought her money and food. 

 

Sooner than later, my grandmother came to visit us and she decide to take me back with her to Mandera. Mandera was so hot and dry. Life was even harder in Mandera. My grandma had livestocks, sheeps, cows and camel. So I became her herder I followed her large herd of livestocks from morning to evening. Time flied so first and drought came. All of my grandmother’s livestock died. My grandma was so depressed. I felt sorry for her but I also had no otherwise.

 

One evening this guy came at my grandma’s place. They talked with granny for a very long time and the guy went each and everytime this guy came home he brought us food, money and sweets [?] for me. Little did I know that the man wanted to get me attracted to himself so that he can marry me. Abdullahi was his name. He was a middle-aged man, fat and tall he was double my father’s age. So my granny married me off to him.

 

As I was a nine year old kid I did not know the duties of a wife. I use to play with my fellow agemates and when my husband came home he used to beat me black and blue, raped me and even strangled me. 

 

Abdullahi had three sons who were elder than me. Abdi, Adan and Mohamed used to assault me during the day and their father during the night.

 

I told my grandmother about it and she called the elders and they conducted maslaha and returned me at my husband’s place. I had the same same problem but I had no one to aid me. So one night, I escaped. I decided to follow a lorry that transports goats to Nairobi. 

 

I was at the back of the lorry together with the goats. There was a stuff smell but I tolerated and persevered as it was not bad than the trouble I have gone through. I crossed my fingers and prayed to the Almighty to pass me through it. 

 

Suddenly the lorry stopped the driver came and checked the goats if they were okay. He saw me and he was shocked. So he took me at front of the lorry with me. He brought for me food as I was hungry to death I never felt so relieved like that day. Narrated my sad story to the driver and he really felt for me.

 

We finally reached Nairobi and he took me to his home. After some days of finding my parents he finally got to them and united me with my family. I was as happy as butter exposed to heat. Tears of  joy rolled down my mother cheeks.  

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