Gone with the dusT

She was young, free and had no cares in the world, or so she thought. Sandey an eight year oldgirl who had just left her village to come to the city to help her sister babysit her little cousinwas barely six months old.

Wash the dishes, clean the compound, go to the market, cook the food. wash my husbands clothes, feed the baby was only part of her chores.

He household chores were endless and the more she grew the more tasks she was assigned. He duties included washing her sister's husband's underwear which we all found appalling.

In our society, young baby sitters are usually got from close family and relatives and not hired. So, minus the overload of work on a young child, the little girl had been denied education reason being apparently no school fees. Yet, her cousins were being schooled abroad.

She finally managed to begin after nagging from the neighbors on her right to education though she began much later. At school, she would miss classes at times because she had no sanitary pads which she would get from my younger sister who sympathized with her since her sister was always complaining that she had no money for pads.

Sandey was a certified wife in the eyes of the neighbors because she did everything a housewife would do and more.

She had no proper guidance but despised her surroundings and with time, she grew impatient. We all had hope that she would overcome and after her education be a lady of substance and support herself and family through her education.

Unfortunately fate had a different destiny fr her, she got pregnant in her final year of primary school and went off into her marriage as the second wife. All dreams of all those around her shattered but as for her she was happy to be free of her constant housekeeping and challenged home.