“my step- mothers evil plans ruined everything when she decided to file defilement charges on my boyfriend,he had plans of finding a job to support our unborn baby but my step- Mother’s decision cut ties with my boyfriend and in laws”
On a calm Friday afternoon, I met Aiyila (not real names), still in love and a teenage mother in Namuwongo who narrated to me her ordeal as a teenage mother.
Her happiness was cut short by her mischievous step-mother only three weeks down this road as a teenage mother, Aiyila describes how her rather selfish step- mother ruined her future plans right from the beginning.
since day one, her step-mother had made it clear to her (17 years old now), that she was not her biological mother therefore, never to expect any special treatment.
Aiyila had a step -sister, brother and two siblings with whom they shared both their mother and father.
Sticking to her words, as early as primary three; her step-mother sabotaged her education career making her lose her scholar ship which were diverted to her step siblings.
“My step- mother would make impromptu visits to my nursery school only to create a rift between me and my teachers, she would abuse my teachers, accuse me falsely or even deny my school requirements which later prompted my drop out,” she recalls.
“On droping out, I was forced to Keep home with my step- mother only to take care of all the domestic chores at home
“This is my home, If you think I will help you out with the cores, better help your self by leaving my house, am not your mother so you had better looked for your real mother to do all that for you,”she was always reminded.
unlike her siblings, Aiyila had no luxury of knowing who or even where to run to in case she had any issues at home, apart from knowing the name of her mothers village, the teen mother had never stepped into her mothers village though her two siblings had been returned there by the father.
The bicycle repairer had wished for his daughter to at least stay with him in Go down, a slum in Namuwongo with hopes that she would access to an education which unfortunately didn’t come to reality.
By 2021, life had become too hard to bare by the fifteen year old, who was then told by her step- mother to leave home and find her mother
Besides doing all the chores, Aiyila was buttered, screamed at and showered with insults on a daily.
She then decided to elope and stay at one of her new friends’ parents home also in Go down, Namuwongo a Kampala suburb.
While at her friends home, she found her new lover who lived just metres away, in Soweto also in Namuwongo from whom he conceived.
In pursuit for better survival, the couple later shifted to a self rented house which however, belonged to Aliyah’s mother -in -law. In the quick turn of events, the father to Aaliyah’s then unborn child was arrested and charged with defilement.
“when my boy friend was arrested, my mother- in -law could no longer stand me in her house, she evicted me and told me she needed not any thing to do with me.”
“At this moment l knew every thing was now ruined by my step- mother, so not knowing what to do next, I started trolling the streets of Namuwongo in search of any help I could get. Fortunately l bumped into madam Sarah who offered me some help.”
Sarah who worked at an Non government organization that elevates teen mothers Through hands on skills empowerment offered a temporary aid as by Aliyah’s condition, the organisation could only stretch as more due to the limited resources.
Madam Sarah could later pled with Kemigisha’s father to have her back in his custody which fortunately worked out for the young mother.
The news about his daughter expecting to have a child of her own threw Kemigisha’s father a curve ball that at first he had denied her stay, not to mention her step-mothers influence but later on things turned out well
With the help of her father, in the second week of October, Kemigisha gave birth to a bouncing baby who she now learnt to take care of.
The young mother was given a period of three months until she returns to the Touch the Slum to advance with her hair dressing course which she feels will be a life changing path in her career.
