ABIKO RETURNED TO SCHOOL AFTER THREE CHILDREN
May 05, 2009
Alice Abiko, a young mother, is struggling to raise three children single-handed. She recently enrolled in Senior Six at Muni Girls’ School in Arua.
PROFILE
By Gladys Kalibbala
Alice Abiko, a young mother, is struggling to raise three children single-handed. She recently enrolled in Senior Six at Muni Girls’ School in Arua.
Abiko was born in Rhino Camp, about 42 miles from Arua town.
In 1994 when her parents Leti Kazimiro and Delefina Oleru passed away, she dropped out of school.
Aged 13 then, she was married off to a man she claims was a driver of a UN agency for refugees.
Abiko had to learn to behave like an adult and fend for her family. She would wake up every morning to cultivate her garden.
Unfortunately, her husband passed away in 2001, and just as she was trying to deal with widowhood, her in-laws grabbed the property her husband had left her.
Abiko filed a complaint with Federation of (FIDA) Women Lawyers in Arua town but when her in-laws were summoned, they argued that the two were not married. Defeated, she packed her bags and vacated the home.
“I was shocked that my in-laws whom my husband had looked after could throw his young children on the streets!†Abiko says.
How did she raise her children without a home?
Abiko moved to her uncle’s home with her children and started trading in smoked fish.
“I was determined to educate my children so that they do not suffer like me. The only way I could do this was by going back to school,†she says.
By 2003, Abiko had colleted enough money to take her through P.7. That year, she sat for her Primary Leaving Examinations and scored Aggregate 15.
Abiko joined Rhino Camp Secondary School. She would plant trees and fetch water to raise her school fees.
Abiko also had to walk 4km everyday from home to school.
She struggled to concentrate in class because she was always tired.
“I would get home tired, but I had to prepare food and bathe my children,†she says.
How she made it to S.6
During her S.1, Abiko learnt of (fawe) Forum for African Women Educationalists, an organisation that sponsors girls who drop out of school. She applied and luckily, she was selected as one of the beneficiaries.
“This was a godsend. I can now concentrate on my studies. Initially, every time I would see the bursar passing by my classroom, I would get worried, thinking he would send me home for not paying fees,†she says.
Abiko left her children with her uncle and joined a boarding school, Muni Girls’ Secondary School. She successfully completed her O’level and is now in S.6.
Abiko wants to study law at university.
Her dream
“I need to study law to help unfortunate people like me understand their rights,†she says.
Abiko still operates her fish business during holidays to raise money for her children, who are in P.5, P.4 and P.3.
By Gladys Kalibbala
Alice Abiko, a young mother, is struggling to raise three children single-handed. She recently enrolled in Senior Six at Muni Girls’ School in Arua.
Abiko was born in Rhino Camp, about 42 miles from Arua town.
In 1994 when her parents Leti Kazimiro and Delefina Oleru passed away, she dropped out of school.
Aged 13 then, she was married off to a man she claims was a driver of a UN agency for refugees.
Abiko had to learn to behave like an adult and fend for her family. She would wake up every morning to cultivate her garden.
Unfortunately, her husband passed away in 2001, and just as she was trying to deal with widowhood, her in-laws grabbed the property her husband had left her.
Abiko filed a complaint with Federation of (FIDA) Women Lawyers in Arua town but when her in-laws were summoned, they argued that the two were not married. Defeated, she packed her bags and vacated the home.
“I was shocked that my in-laws whom my husband had looked after could throw his young children on the streets!†Abiko says.
How did she raise her children without a home?
Abiko moved to her uncle’s home with her children and started trading in smoked fish.
“I was determined to educate my children so that they do not suffer like me. The only way I could do this was by going back to school,†she says.
By 2003, Abiko had colleted enough money to take her through P.7. That year, she sat for her Primary Leaving Examinations and scored Aggregate 15.
Abiko joined Rhino Camp Secondary School. She would plant trees and fetch water to raise her school fees.
Abiko also had to walk 4km everyday from home to school.
She struggled to concentrate in class because she was always tired.
“I would get home tired, but I had to prepare food and bathe my children,†she says.
How she made it to S.6
During her S.1, Abiko learnt of (fawe) Forum for African Women Educationalists, an organisation that sponsors girls who drop out of school. She applied and luckily, she was selected as one of the beneficiaries.
“This was a godsend. I can now concentrate on my studies. Initially, every time I would see the bursar passing by my classroom, I would get worried, thinking he would send me home for not paying fees,†she says.
Abiko left her children with her uncle and joined a boarding school, Muni Girls’ Secondary School. She successfully completed her O’level and is now in S.6.
Abiko wants to study law at university.
Her dream
“I need to study law to help unfortunate people like me understand their rights,†she says.
Abiko still operates her fish business during holidays to raise money for her children, who are in P.5, P.4 and P.3.