Empowering Adolescent Girls and Young Mothers

Uwingeneye Jeannette

Jeannette is the fourth child in a family of six siblings. Her father passed away when she was just 9 years old, leaving her mother to raise them alone. At 18, Jeannette’s life changed. She was a believer, holding onto her faith, but one evening, when there was no one around to save her, she was raped by a man whose face she never saw. Fear and shame silenced her; she couldn’t find the courage to tell her mother. When she gave birth, she had no answers about the father of her child, only pain and uncertainty. Instead of finding support, Jeannette was abandoned by her family. Alone and struggling to feed her baby, she became desperate. In her search for survival, she was taken advantage of again, leading to the birth of her second child. Each day became a battle to provide for her little ones, with no stable home and no way to earn a living. Yet, Jeannette refuses to let her past define her. She dreams of joining a vocational training school, learning skills that will allow her to feed her son and daughter with dignity. She hopes for a future where she can stand on her own, breaking free from the cycle of hardship. Despite the pain, she holds onto the belief that a better tomorrow is still possible.