Mary’s Story

When Mary* was young, her parents separated and her mother left, leaving her to live with her father. They were living in a village in the North West of Tanzania. She was waiting for the results to the national primary school exams. She knew if she passed her exams, she could move on to Secondary School, and she was very excited about this.

Although she passed the exams, her father wasn’t pleased. He wanted her to get married to a rich neighbour, so he would not have to keep taking care of her. They were a poor family, and having a daughter in school was a burden he did not think he could afford. So when she passed her exams, and the government made a public announcement that it was time for children to return to school, her father needed to buy some time. He told her that he would find her a better private school, despite her grades meaning she could receive a scholarship to a government school.

So Mary stayed at home as other children returned to school. When she asked her father about joining a new school, he told her that he didn’t have the fees yet and would have to wait.

Soon, waiting turned into marrying the rich neighbour. Mary was only fifteen.

Mary fought with her father, knowing she did not want to get married. Eventually, she decided to run away and try to find her mother. Her mother advised her to find work and she agreed. Mary ended up finding work in Dar Es Salaam, where she worked for almost two years. It was here that she heard about KIWOHEDE’s open school. She decided to visit and learnt about the services being offered.

In January 2024, Mary went back to school with KIWOHEDE. She is happy to have the opportunity to be back in school and giving herself more options for her future.

The KIWOHEDE Open School provides a place of safety and offers trauma informed education, allowing young people to feel safe and begin to build a future for themselves and their families. At school, Mary is able to access counselling and receive and education from teachers who understand her experiences and how this may affect her learning. 

*identifying details have been omitted or changed.