By Parfaite Ntahuba | Project Leader
“I grew up in a house that never felt like a home. Every day was filled with shouting, anger, and fear. My parents fought constantly. My father had other women, and my mother had other men. As a child, I never felt protected. I felt small, lost, and invisible.
Before I was even grown, I became the mother of my own family. I worried about what my younger brothers and sisters would eat. I cleaned, cooked, and carried burdens that were too heavy for a child. When my father came home, he did not show love he used he beat me. I learned to live quietly, trying not to be seen.
When I was 15, I went to visit a friend. When I came back, my father’s eyes were full of anger. He accused me of things I had not done. He pulled me outside and shamed me in front of people. He beat me and called a bitch. That day, something inside me died. I felt dirty, ashamed, and less than human.
I started to dream of escape. I told myself that if any man asked me to be his wife, I would go with him, no questions asked. I just wanted a place where I could breathe. When a man came and told me he wanted to live with me, my heart filled with hope for the first time. I thought God had finally answered my prayers.
The day he came to get me, I took my bag and followed him. But on the way, when we reached a place where there was a forest, he grabbed me and raped me. I screamed until people came running. He ran away, but he was caught and imprisoned; Yet, the pain persisted.
My heart was so heavy with sadness that I couldn't stay in my village anymore. That's how I ended up here in Maramvya, desperately searching for a place to survive. I asked for work as a domestic servant. I couldn't go back to my parents. I feel like an orphan.
When I came to this workshop, I was carrying a heart that was too heavy to hold. For the first time, I spoke the words that were buried deep inside me. I cried without shame. I learned that my tears are not a weakness they are a way to let the pain flow out. Today, I feel a small peace in my chest. I feel like I am slowly learning how to live again.”
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