Daphne is 15 and one of the girls who had enrolled at the vocational school. She dropped out of school when she was 13 because her parents could not afford to further her education. Her father works at a local farm for daily wages of about $1 per day, but frequents a local bar, where he spends most of his time and money. He is also violent and abusive and has taken another wife. Daphne’s mother is unemployed and works in the small family garden to grow food for her family to eat. Daphne is desperate and sees no options other than marriage. Daphne eloped and married James, 17, who also dropped out of school and is unemployed, but has a small piece of land he inherited from his father. The cycle, however, will likely continue.
The girls who elope hope for better, but most fall back into the vicious cycle of poverty that has crippled so many rural women. Our hearts are heavy when we think of the knowledge and skills Daphne could have gained in two years of education at the vocational school. But we will not give up; we will continue the mission to mentor and empower vulnerable girls and women to break the vicious cycle of poverty, early marriages, and teen pregnancies. Please pray with us for these young girls who have so much potential.
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