STORY SUMMARY:

14-year-old Asma* grew up with a family of twelve, she has four brothers and five sisters and has lived in a displacement camp for five years. Her family were displaced due to conflict, Asma* remembers losing close family members during the conflict including her aunt and some of her cousins before her immediate family fled to a displacement camp in the Somali region.

Asma*’s family were forced into poverty due to drought and conflict, as pastoralists they were dependent on livestock for their income. When the family lost their livestock due to the conflict and drought, they had no income and struggled to access food and water.
Due to poverty, when a wealthy older man approached Asma*’s parents and asked to marry Asma* at age 14, they accepted because they thought this early marriage could offer her a better life and a route out of poverty. However, Asma* was depressed by the engagement, she felt uncomfortable about getting married early and wanted to stay in school, so with the support of her teacher and school club leader she negotiated with her parents and avoided the early marriage.

STRONG QUOTES:

"The drought affects my family because our animals are our only income. Without animals we cannot make any money."

"Due to lack of rain as there was no water, it would take us a whole day to get enough water home. We had to carry the water on our backs using wooden containers which often led to conflicts. Sometimes, there were even attempted rapes during these trips."

"Before the drought we had milk and meat, but when drought comes there is no milk, there is no meat. And there is a serious problem with scarcity of water and our livestock have no water to drink."

"When I was 14 years old, a man wanted to marry me and my parents agreed. I became unhappy and withdrawn at school, I was depressed."

"Because he was a wealthier person than us, my parents advised me that if I got married to him my life would become better than theirs."

"When my parents told me that I did not have to [marry early] I became very excited and focused on my education."

HOW IS SAVE THE CHILDREN HELPING (OR DID WE HELP) THAT CHILD OR FAMILY:

Asma* received school supplies including books and uniform from Save the Children. She also attends Save the Children’s community discussion forums on parenting without violence. These community groups focus on the risks associated with child marriage and FGM.

INTERVIEWEE’S STORY IN THEIR OWN WORDS (QUOTES):

Asma* describes herself and her family.

I am 15 years old. I have four sisters, I have five brothers, and with my parents we make a family of 12.
We've lived here for five years. I do not remember much about life before living here because I was only three years old, but I have heard that everybody was living in fear.

Our home here is a makeshift plastic shelter; we all live in it together. We used to live in other places. We left [our home] because of the conflict. We have got used to it over time. But we would love to find better houses.

Asma* describes the drought.

The drought affects my family because our animals are our only income. Without animals we cannot make any money to buy household necessities.

We received some animals as donations. We received sheep, and some of them died during the drought. We used to sell the animals in the city and then exchange them for vegetables.

The place that we get water from is very far from here, we dig in the sand to get groundwater for drinking. When there is no rain the water level is too low, we have to dig more and wait a long time to get water, often there is a big queue.
Due to lack of water as there was no rain. It would take us a whole day to get enough water home. We had to carry the water on our backs using wooden containers which often led to conflicts. Sometimes, there were even attempted rapes during these trips.
Girls are worst affected by the water being far from their homes because when they travel a long way to collect water or firewood, they are at risk of being raped or assaulted. Girls in our community are worried about this.
Before the drought we had milk and meat, but when drought comes there is no milk, there is no meat. And there is a serious problem with scarcity of water and our livestock have no water to drink.

When the rain came, the land became fertile, and our livestock had enough grass to eat. We could also get milk from the animals. Water was readily available.

But when the rain stopped, the water evaporated. Milk and other necessities became scarce. Then came the drought.

On child marriage

When I was 14 years old, a man wanted to marry me, and my parents agreed. When my parents told me I refused but they said no you can’t refuse. When this happened my behavior changed, I became unhappy and withdrawn at school, I was depressed.

My school friends asked me about this, because I used to be active and perform well in school [but] after the man proposed to me, my situation has changed. They asked me what was wrong with me. I then told them that a man wanted to marry me. That's when they came to my aid and helped me.
I told them that my parents wanted me to marry an older man. My friends told my teachers and then my teachers offered me advice. Eventually my teachers came to my parents and told them how I would be affected, they tried more than four times and finally my parents accepted.
Because he was wealthier than us, my parents were telling me that if I got married to him my life would become better than theirs. It would be a comfortable life and I could get whatever I want. So that’s why they were pushing me to marry him.

But I declined and told them that I wanted to continue my education. I wanted to complete my studies [and] I was uncomfortable about getting married at 14, when my parents told me that I did not have to [marry early] I became very excited and focused on my education. They then stopped it. I was very happy.