Asha’s Story

Asha lives with her two sisters, her mother, and her paternal grandmother in the town of Namwezi. Asha’s father was an alcoholic who abused his wife and children. Asha’s mom tried to protect her children by leaving the husband to look for safety elsewhere. She lived with her mother-in-law for a while but Asha’s father would find her there and beat all of the people in the home. It got so bad that they all had to flee the village so he could no longer find them.

Her mother and grandmother work hard to provide for the family, but with no formal education it has been difficult to find employment. Asha and her sisters try to help the family by selling tomatoes, onions and other vegetables which they grow in their garden. While the girls sell produce on the streets, their mother looks for tailoring work for people in the community. Asha and her sisters have a love for education and wish to go to school rather than be married off when they are still young. The girls have been able to attend school on and off but are often chased away from taking their final exams due to unpaid school fees.

In 2021, PFP stepped in to offer a hand up. They are now renting in a safer space and PFP is working hand in hand with Asha’s mother to provide the opportunity for her to attend school regularly. Life is looking up for Asha and her family, and they hope that by working together they will all be able to rise up out of the poverty they were born into. Asha hopes to become a nurse one day so that she can help herself to live a better life and so that she can help her family and other people to feel better.