Today, a dream day in my early forties!

It is the year 2050, am seated in my compound quite old and watching my great grandchild play. Her elder sister and brother just arrived from school and have been dropped home by their daddy, no more fear of being taken hostage by child traffickers and sacrificers. No fear of death from the immunisable diseases and HIV is a disease of my age if it hasn’t been cured yet. Today girls and boys stay in school up to University level and the government is competent to ensure all children complete education. I can see clearly my role in this. The girls I supported and gave an education and life skills are now old women themselves self employed and confident to live their lives. They earn a living and are happy, no more tears, not from their communities nor from their husbands, they can fully negotiate a marital relationship and humbly but also peacefully co-exist.

I recall the time we started that community support group. It was not in vain that we paid school fees the desperate girls/children and paid transport for the children with HIV to access hospitals for treatment. No one could imagine a time like today when the girl child and women are also free to roam. Attain an education afford basic needs including education and health. Be seen as equal partners in development. We had started small and our dream was life where all were able to live to their full. Yes am glad now it is true I /we made a difference. The girls are prepared, the women are there to support and mentor them. Women and girls can be protected and their property and lives secured. No more injustice, where it occurs there are support systems to track the injustice and culprits are dealt with accordingly.

My brothers, and sons are very happy to have their daughters in school. They are not biased at the marriage and divorce Act but see it as an opportunity for the protection of their daughters and sons. A law they vehemently opposed in 2013. We had quarreled, I remember telling off my brother then, that “any sensible father and mother should pass the bill as it meant to protect children not girls only” I had been angry with him then, today am happy he sees me and him as equals before the law and before God. He actually now passionately debates for equal opportunities. What a big surprise and a big satisfaction. As I look back I imagine, thanks be to God we took a bold step to fight injustice by challenging the status quo right from the domestic barriers to the world.I can only look at my grandchild and say “All is Well with Me”, even if I died now I will only sleep in peace in the knowledge that my granddaughters are respected and protected in their full right as human beings on planet earth

World pulse has and will continue to mentor me in reporting and sharing. The network ought to grow me into a world reporter, but also with feelings and emotions, able to respect the emotions of those i report about and protect their dignity and humanity.

The network has already allowed me to be on my toes to keep abreast with current developments and contribute to the debates and share stories with grassroots women afar yet so near. In pain but a shared pain and challenge. Encouraged and empowered to move on despite the odds