Defying all odds to create a ‘Better Future’
Yvonne is an 18-year-old girl who lives in Huye District. She is the firstborn in a family of four girls. While that is a blessing, her father did not think so as he still held on to regressive views of the boy child being more valuable than the girl child. He constantly harassed their mother for not giving birth to sons and also refused to take responsibility for providing for his children. Yvonne’s family was already living in poverty and in disputes but this worsened when they had the fourth girl. She was born with mobility challenges and deaf-blindness.
Taking care of her was extremely difficult for Yvonne’s mom because she was also the breadwinner of the family. She then requested Yvonne as the firstborn to drop out of school and find jobs to help her take care of the family so that she could also focus on taking care of her young sister. Yvonne dropped out of school when she was in Secondary two, at the age of 14.
She managed to find a job as a live-in house help but could only buy body oil with the money she made and would send the remainder to her mother. After six months however, Yvonne quit due to the overwhelming workload and also not getting time to rest.
She said; “I had to wake up very early in the morning to prepare children for school, clean and cook after that and would sleep very late.” Life became increasingly bitter for Yvonne but she resolved to accepting it as she saw no way out.
It was two years since she had dropped out of school that Yvonne heard about World Vision supporting children to attend a vocational school. It was a light at the end of a dark tunnel for Yvonne when she found herself on the list.
She said; “I felt so happy because I thought that there was a chance that I could have a better future.”
There were various vocational trainings offered but Yvonne chose carpentry. She not only liked it but she also wanted to prove that what a boy can do, a girl could do too. She successfully completed the training and also received a start-up kit from World Vision. Today, she co-owns a furniture business called ‘Better Future’.
Through her work, Yvonne can take care of her basic needs and also help her mum to provide for the family. Her two sisters have continued studying and their last born also attends an ECD, despite her disabilities. Yvonne also made furniture for her family including; a bench, chairs, and a coffee table. When her father saw them, he asked her if she really was the one who made them.
Yvonne said; “This incident and many others made my father realize that girls were equally valuable as boys and had potential to achieve anything they put their minds to.”
Yvonne and her friends are currently running a growing furniture business in their community. Their dream is to scale it up and create very many jobs for young people like them.
“I am deeply indebted to World Vision for getting me out of isolation and empowering me with skills. My only pledge is to work hard, develop myself, and pay the kindness forward to others.” Yvonne gratefully expressed.
By Mary Umutoni
Donor Liaison Specialist, WVI Rwanda