Volunteerism & Passion...WorldPulse

“I know AIDS is real and is decimating the world… But what can I do?, I can’t bring shame on my father’s name, I don’t have the heart to see sorrows on my mum’s face. I need to give children to my husband. They all have so I can’t break the chain…” said Amy in tears. Being the fourth wife she was not able to conceive after six month of marriage and the husband was merciless with insults and threats of divorce. She could not consider going back to her family, what a humiliation? All traditional medicines could not help, the doctor declared her fertile and the husband will not even hear about him going to the hospital; she dare not suggest that. She was in great desolation the two following months looking for solution everywhere. Finally her salvation came from the first wife. Amy will learn for her surprise that her husband was sterile. How come? What about all the children in the house? “All you have to know is that our ‘husband cannot give birth’ so do whatever magic you know but become pregnant in the next three months. I will tell him your problem is due to you being young and ask permission to take care of you. That should give you enough time to sort this out, but don’t forget it is our life you are playing with.” “Today I have three kids, different fathers” … continues Amy in tears.

“I was cooking one day when my auntie, the woman I was working for, told me that they are having a celebration in my village for the young girls and my mum called to ask permission for me to take part- just five days. I was exciting at the idea… I never came back from that trip which was not more than a trap for ten of us in total. By the time we realized, we were married to people we didn’t know or vaguely talked to one or three time in our lives…

I can recall many of these true life stories during my HIV /AIDS Sensitization campaigns. I heard and saw women being abuse morally, physically, sexually, verbally and my heart started rebelling against it. I started thinking of how to do something for them. And as the vision grew, I needed to understand how to go about it by finding out what was being done and how. And I turned to internet looking for women social networks.
I came across a number of websites. And last year I also subscribed to Association For Women’s Right In Development (AWID). I was so impressed that I was following all links and interesting actions.
Through AWID I discovered WorldPulse. And today I am a participant of the Voices of our future. And I am glad to add my voice.