Imagine the time when you were about to sit for your S4 Exams. All excited
about the vacation, then all of a sudden, some guy comes and asks to be your boyfriend well, you look
at all your friends around and indeed each of them has a boyfriend, so you take
this as a Golden chance at the right time.
This is what happened to my classmate way back in Mengo SS,
2007. Love is all she could think about. This awesome guy she was going to
spend her vacation and maybe lifetime with. The next thing she got to know was
this outing of the S4 class at the Nabinonya beach. Well, this was a great opportunity to
spend time with her boyfriend outside the usual school routine. What ever happened that Saturday at the beach,
only God knows. A month later she realized she was missing her periods.
This was a reason to get really worried with cold feet.
She sits down this guy, and tells her she must be pregnant. Before
she even completes the story the guy is like, “I’m not responsible”, “Find the
dad of that thing, and by the way it was just once”. Well, now the only option left was to tell the mum. Of
course soon or later they would know, because she could not afford money for an
abortion, and after all its all risky and illegal in Uganda. Well she
confronted her mum, all scared, the mum got furious on knowing about the
pregnancy. Now this was even more stress being a candidate and registration and
Mock exterminations were around the corner.
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| A girl takes a pregnancy test. Photo by uhaweb.hartford.edu |
Now it was time for the dad and the whole world to know.
This is the scariest part, as its only second term and there is still a full
term to go. Will the dad pay her school fees and requirements? Well her mum
approached the dad, and of course this caused a war at home. She was sent away
from home as peace talks between dad and mum took place. 3 weeks later she was
called back home and the dad had agreed to pay for the remaining term, but from
there the dad of the unborn child had to take responsibility. Oh God, she was
already missing school, because she had been chased from home for 3 weeks. Now
this was really stressing and she would wish she’d commit suicide as this was
the cheapest and best option in her mind right now. Well she thought about what
happens afterlife, and as a CRE student, she ruled that option out. She had to
carry on with the pregnancy until she finished the exams. Now it’s about 3
months to the finals and the belly is growing bigger. There is rumor around
school that this girl in S4 is pregnant. Now she can’t even go to the Dining
hall or the canteen as everyone looks at her with this face, “Oh My God, She is
Pregnant”.
The belly is growing bigger and thank God the school allowed
her to complete her papers with the pregnancy.
Its October and the
papers are on. She does and completes them, Thank God. Now we wait for the
results and everyone is eager to know, what this pregnant babe got. Oh God, Its
bad. She’s one of the 3 people in 3rd grade. Well this is surprising
for a middle student to end up in 3rd grade.
The last time I heard, we were in S5, and she wasn’t
schooling any more, so sad. She was working in a small retail shop at her home village.
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| Mengo SS, 2007 S4 North Class |
These stories happen almost each year in Uganda, but from
the initial handling of the parents at home, they end up affecting these young
people’s lives for a very long time. This girl could have been given a chance
to continue school, because hey, mistakes are human, and we all deserve a
second chance.
There should also be more parent - child friendship, as it
gives chance to the children to hear about such things and protect themselves
from them. Government should also encourage schools to let pregnant students
continue with school until they can co to deliver. I mean, we all grow up to
give birth, some to it early and others do it late.
We don’t need to point fingers.
Based on a true story, from Mengo SS S4 2007.
Note: Events occurrence is not accurate.
