The year spent in the Teacher’s training college has changed Fatou’s life immensely. After fleeing her husband’s house in total disapproval of some members of her family and relatives, she almost lived as an outcast for months. Encouraged by her elder brother, she decided to get registered in the Teacher’s training college. She took part in the selection contest and passed. With no money to pay for the school fees, she also applied for the Plan scholarship and got it. She has just graduated, and is now seeking a public job, as the government is promising to hire 3000 teachers for the forthcoming school year due to start in October 2008. Fatou is very hopeful. Her new status as fully trained primary school teacher seems to have produced some magic effects on the hostile family members.
This is her story.
“My father is very happy and feels very proud of me today. Sometimes, I still cannot quite believe what has happened to me. I was forced to get married in 2001, when I was 17 years old, while still attending secondary school, to become the third wife of my father’s best friend. He was about 50 years old. Several times, I ran away from home only to be sent back by my father who would not even listen to me. Whatever I told him, he thought I was telling lies. Maybe, this is because he could understand my husband better than me; being both men. Only my mother was trying to talk to me, asking me to bear the burden and be grateful. However then she became ill and died. When I returned to my husband’s home, I begged him to let me attend school. Actually, I was married while attending the fourth grade in the secondary school. He agreed during the first year and it was very difficult for me to cope with both home life and my studies.
I was always late for school and had no time to read textbooks or notebooks as I had to cook in the mornings and in the evenings for a large family. I failed the end of year exams and my husband would not allow me to attend the second year. He is a trader with a shop and said that if I wanted, I could become a secretary in his shop. We were never on good terms with each other. I was never able to bear him a child and that also became cause for arguments. He always complained that I did not want children with him. I did nothing to prevent myself getting pregnant, but today I think it wasn’t meant to be. Disputes between us were frequent, and they finally led to my current “freedom”. I think that girls facing the kind of situation that I had to deal with should learn to fight their way out. Once you succeed, people finally understand and accept you. All my family is happy that I will become a school teacher. I feel equally happy”.