This story was submitted by Hadijah Namusis to EmpowerWomen’s I am (wo)man Campaign. 

“I was born into a family with 20 siblings and have lived a challenging life, but have always possessed an innate love for my family and passion for learning.

I would head out to the pastures with my family at 5 a.m. each day. After working the fields, I’d run barefoot to school five miles away with scraps of food to get me by. Life was hard but good until age 14, when I was led into a room and handed over to a 45 year-old man to become his wife. I broke down and cried, pleading with my father to let me stay. My world continued to shatter for 15 years, as I gave birth to four children and couldn’t provide for them. One day, I mustered the energy to leave him.

I struggled to survive, working hard as a housemaid, cultivating fields and washing clothes just to provide one meal for my family. I was earning a dollar a day and yet I held her family together.

My passion for knowledge was still alive and is the reason I was so intrigued by BeadforLife Street Business School. I learned I needed to invest in my future and sold all of my unused possessions for $88. I bought palm leaves and dye and working together with my landlady, created some gorgeous hand-woven bags.

Today, we are selling the bags for $8 apiece. I plan to attend a poultry training organized by BeadforLife, and I’m now determined to also become a poultry farmer.” 

This story is part of a weekly series that we are running in collaboration with UN Women and its Empower Women Champions for Women’s Economic Empowerment. Read the previous story here. To contribute to the Campaign, see here.