Forbidden to go to school

“Only two of my six brothers went to school - the others didn't go because my father refused to send them,” said Sophie, who lives in Makuyuni, north east Tanzania.

“I wish I could have gone but I know how to write my name at least and can read a little,"  said Sophie, who has six older brothers and one older sister – her father also has another six children with his second wife.

I would like to know things and I feel sad seeing others go to school.

'Transforming Education for Girls Project' is a project part-funded by ActionAid which aims to achieve a transformation in the education of girls in Tanzania and Nigeria, enabling them to enrol and succeed in school, through challenging underlying gender inequalities, power dynamics and the ascribed roles of girls and boys. Sophie is one of seven girls being followed by the project.

Sophie is happy to be getting married but is going to miss her family, who live 15km away from her new husband. She and her family have learnt about the importance of education and the rights of children, especially girls, to go to school.

Sadly it is too late for Sophie, as she will soon be married and bound to her husband. “On the day of the wedding, after the celebration here, I will go to the house of my new husband to live."

But Sophie now understands the benefits of education and how it can help people like her escape poverty. 

I will make sure that all of my children go to school because I know that it is important.

Sophie doesn't think that her life will change that much after she gets married - every day she herds goats, sweeps the house and helps to prepare food. “We eat ugali (a maize dish), beans and corn about three times a day” said Sophie, who only eats meat around once a month.

She also fetches water from the well but when there is a drought the family has to buy water because the well dries up.

Without an education or specific skills, Sophie cannot find work or support herself so she will be completely dependent on her husband to provide for her and her baby.

“We normally grow our food but last year there was a drought so we couldn't grow anything and we had to eat food that was given to us by the government. Sometimes there wasn't enough food for all of us and some days we only ate a bowl of porridge."

I get worried when there is no food like last year - I think that we all may die.

Sophie is concerned because she has not felt well during her pregnancy and does not know anything about giving birth. “I am very tired and feel sick all the time - I just want to have my baby and be well again,” said Sophie.