In Mocímboa da Praia, in Cabo Delgado, northern
Mozambique, early marriages continue to steal the childhood and dreams of many
girls, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.
Alarming statistics are visible, and real stories of
women who faced the consequences of this practice deeply rooted in local culture
are found.
Discover some of these stories that reflect the
difficulties and resilience of those who live this reality.
Maria Juma (fictitious name) I lost my youth, but I fight
for the future of my daughters. Now 30,
she was forced to get married at 14. His
parents believed that marriage would be the best way to guarantee his safety
and avoid dishonor to the family. But
the decision meant the end of her dreams of becoming a nurse.
"I loved studying. When they took me out of school
to get married, I felt like they had taken everything from me", he
recalls.
At the age of 15, Maria from the Muengue neighborhood
became pregnant and faced serious complications during childbirth. Today, with four children and abandoned by
her husband, she struggles to give her daughters the education she never had.
"My youth was stolen, but I want my daughters to
have the chance to dream and build their own lives," she says.
Júlia César (fictitious name) "Getting married early
was like falling into an abyss. Júlia was 16 years old when her father decided
to marry her to an older man. Despite her fear, she accepted, like so many other
girls who have no choice.
"From the moment I got married, I lost my freedom.
He controlled everything, from where I went to who I spoke to", says
Júlia. At the age of 17, she became a
mother, but the lack of adequate medical care during her pregnancy resulted in
serious birth complications.
With three children to support and abandoned by her
husband, Júlia tries to raise awareness among girls in her community about the
dangers of early marriage. “I want them
to understand that they have the right to dream and choose,” he says.
Fátima from the Nanduadua neighborhood, venting "I
was a child taking care of other children.
Fatima got married at 15 years old. The family saw the marriage as an opportunity
to ensure their financial security, but the result was devastating.
"When I got
pregnant for the first time, I didn't know what to do. I was just a girl taking
care of another child," says Fatima, who had three children in five
years. Her husband, absent and
controlling, did little to help, and she found herself dependent on her parents
to support the family.
Today, at 25 years old, Fatima uses her experience to
warn other girls "Education is the only way to escape this cycle. I want
girls to know that they deserve more", she declares. (Armando António Kapemba)
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