He is poor, should I leave him?

I come from a rich family and my boyfriend comes from a poor family.
His relatives depend on him for financial support and on some occasions, I have had to step in. I do not think I will be happy if I married this man. I foresee a life of financial struggle if I go ahead and get married to him. Tell me why I should not end this relationship.

Facebook responses:
Natukunda Nelly First and foremost, does he love you truly, my dear, money is nothing compared to genuine love. You might end the relationship with a humble man then you end up with a rich womanizer. Be careful. Use your brain wisely. He might be broke today, but tomorrow he might become richer than your family...

Godwin Dindi Did you seek our advice before you started dating him or did you take it as a personal decision? Well since you started this on your own, I suggest you end it on your own. Stay single and keep all your wealth....problem solved

Simon Joseph Egweu Discuss this with him before you end the relationship you have built for some time now. There's time for those relatives to cease begging from you (Family).

Ritahcruz Mcmillan, Are you getting married to him as a person or his wallet? What will you say a few years down the road when his financial situation becomes better, how will you feel seeing the man you loved and left just because of small wallet size, happy with another woman, leading a good stable life? You should know that the things that make life worth living are free.

Love is free. Joy and happiness are free

Hope is free and so is peace. It's the choice we make the decision about whether we will be happy or not. 
Think twice

Omia Samuel Ivan  It's better to be with a poor guy who loves and values you than a rich man who doesn't respect you.

Emmie Jay Drake Don't hurt your feeling running away from where your heart is. Love is natural and poverty is temporary.

Ngelese Mariam Build him up and he is enabled to support his family without you pulling up your money.

Namale Barbra Does he love you anyway? If he does just hang in there, you will manage if both of you work hard.

Rakel Arodru So should all men not marry girls from poor families?

Kwikiriza Kabs Amos I am from a poor family, but my wife is from a rich family and we have a happy family, yet all my parents depend on me too, so what are you talking about?

Ssenyondwa Frederick Freddie If he is hardworking, I think and loyal. I think he is just broke, but aint poor.... go introduce him to dad teach him how to fish.

Okello Ace Mandela It sounds like you have made up your mind already which makes it hard to advise you.

Geoffrey Anguzu Anguzu What is rich in Catholic is defined in spirituality not in material things. Material things are not riches.

George Gracious Even you also depend on your parents' background and even your parents were not born reach.

Bassam Walugumba There is no compatibility it will not work you think about the money he thinks about uplifting his people so leave before you disorganize him.

Luyima Roland Lawrence You love him or the paper? If you love the paper, go back to your parents and plan ahead.

Myk Miguel Obai Why did you even date him in the first place?

Mwesigwa Emmanuel Happiness isn't in money...but it's a flair found between the two of you...stop being in relationships for wrong reasons.

Vukoni Israel Beka You already know what you have to.

Aratungye Arnold A slay queen looks at what a man drives but a real queen looks at what drives a man.

Awio Okema Benard It's not about money or price tag but love

Winfred Kabaho If he is hardworking with your support you will get out of it, but you will have to struggle in your first years, get ready for it dear.

Ddamulira Paul For your peace and happiness leave him, such that he gets annoyed and focused on making his money to avoid such problems again.

Kanyesigye Nicholas Money is not relationship my dear if u love him go head. If not leave.

Gideon Kaddu Jr. When a woman rejects a man of vision and accepts a man with television, she will end up watching the man of vision on her own husband's television. Don't judge a man by his pocket but judge him by his vision. Because where a man is going in life is more important than his present condition.

William Kashamba Kacwanojr The reason why you should not end your relationship is that in the future your parents will die, and you inherit their wealth and you will need someone to guide you on how to spend so my sister you need that man. stay calm poverty is not a disease

Jal Dick Sit him down next to you and plan for him something good to invest in, you've money yes, give him money to start a business.

Irene Paska Adong You want to marry money, not a man what else do you want us to say?

Andrew Mugisha You have already answered all the questions to your own dilemma. Let's move on.

Expert advice: Seek pre-marital counselling

 Clement Byomuhangi

Dear Jackie, In relationships, it is common for an individual's family backgrounds and social-economic status to vary. That one comes from a rich family should not deter one from getting married to somebody else not as economically fortunate so long as there are genuine love and appreciation of possible challenges that one may face along the way. No one chooses where to be born.

Many individuals from poor backgrounds have proven to be resilient, established strong bonds with their partners and not only became economically successful but also had exemplary families. However, it is also true as you have observed that the difference in social-economic status can be a serious negative factor in a marriage relationship if there are no boundaries.

It is important that you candidly discuss issues related to the family backgrounds that the two of you come from. It is through those discussions that you will come up with a common position. First, no matter how committed the two of you are in supporting your fiancé's family, it is not possible to satisfy every one of them. The two of you must understand that this is a given.

Secondly, if your relationship goes on to end in a marriage, you must be psychologically prepared that you have started home with its own different needs and hope you will have children whose lives and future depend on how well you have prepared for them.

Thirdly, you as individuals and as a couple need to live a happy, decent and fulfilling life. To put all these factors into perspective, the two of you need to be strategic in terms of what kind of support you can comfortably provide. The focus should be on those interventions that will have high returns aimed at self-sufficiency and empowerment of individual members in your husband's family.

Consequently, balancing your needs as a couple and the needs of your family will determine a successful relationship. Should you get married to your fiancé, this is going to be a journey in which the two of you can walk with mutual support, understanding and a degree of satisfaction depending on whether the people you have supported have turned out to be good assets.

As a couple, you should undergo pre-marital counselling for further exploration of a possible course of action given the differences concerning your family backgrounds. You may contact Her Vision team for face-to-face confidential pre-marital professional counselling.

CLEMENCE BYOMUHANGI, COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGIST