In 2004 October i welcomed a 13 year old girl to our home. SHe had just finished Standard 8, in Neno District. She is the last born in my husbands family of 9 and we decided that it would be best if she joined us so that she can have a chance. Her journey begun during that holiday when she undertook Tukombo entrance exams, and she passed. Within 4 years she had finished her secondary schooling at the girls boarding school. We waited for the results and she had passed her MSCE (21 points) and another long wait for the university Entrance Results. Her name was not on the sponsored list but appeared on the parallel student list to study @Bunda College. She did not disappoint, as she worked extremely hard and has just finished her Degree. Today she has taken another milestone, she has left home and will be staying with my Brother in Law (both of them left our home today, as they now leading independent lives). i am having mixed feelings but i know that she is well set in Life. The lesson i got from this experience is that for those of us in the Extended Family setting, investing in education of the younger siblings is vital in breaking away from poverty of the clan and the future generations. Its a very difficult position to take because during the years (for us its been from 2002 to date and we have gone through secondary to tertiary education of 8 individuals) Life passes you by. Its only for those willing to sacrifice the finer details of life knowing that you are ensuring all of you can at least afford the basics. This is even a more difficult position for the women who marry into big families where your spouse is the only one who has made it in life. The honours always lies with you to help him educate and pull everyone through. No matter how tough it sounds nothing lasts forever soon they are will all be educated and start taking the burden off your shoulders. If you decide to marry someone with that level of responsibility and not want to be part of the support system then the burden of taking care of those in the clan will always lie with you and even your children.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 19:23:16 +0000
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