Life in La-ku village, Plateau State, in Nigeria wasn’t always easy, especially for a young girl dreaming of a brighter future. Like many girls growing up in my community, I faced challenges that tested my strength and spirit from a very young age.
But through hope, determination, and the support of a powerful program organized by Women for Women International, my story has taken a turn I never imagined possible. This is my journey, from the fields of my parents’ farm to becoming a woman who knows her worth, embraces her dreams, and refuses to be defined by her circumstances.
My name is Pola; I’m 25 years old. As the eldest of six children in a farming family. From a young age, I helped my parents on the farm, planting tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. We worked hard just to survive.
All of us started primary school, but when it was time for secondary school, two of my siblings dropped out, and my parents couldn’t continue paying my fees either. I stopped school on the 6th grade, even though I truly wanted to continue. That was one of the hardest things for me.
Instead of going back to school, my parents enrolled me in a tailoring training program, but before I could complete it, I became pregnant and moved in with my boyfriend and his family in Zot Foron village. Life with his family was tough. There was no real welcome, but I had to endure, for the sake of my daughter.
When I heard about the Women for Women International program from women in my community who had graduated, I knew I wanted to join. I saw how they had changed; how confident and strong they were after going through the program. Some had started small businesses; others were supporting their families better.
Since joining their ‘Stronger Women Stronger Nations’ program, my life has turned around. I love all parts of the program, my business class taught me how to save and be accountable, while the social empowerment classes taught me about my rights and how to live my daily life with confidence. I have learned so much about how to take care of myself and my family, how to manage money, how to build relationships, and how to speak up.
Before the program, I wasn’t part of any group, but through Women for Women, I learned about the power of women supporting each other, because of the Women’s Solidarity sessions, I understand the value of community.
I have dreams now. Real, solid plans for my life and my daughter’s.
The Household Financial Management classes helped me so much. We used to spend money carelessly, but now I budget and track our expenses. I’ve learned how to plan and save, and it’s given me peace of mind. The health sessions also changed my habits, I now boil our drinking water, clean our home properly, and I’ve stopped taking medicine without a prescription. I even started using family planning, because I want to be ready and stable before having another child.
One session that changed my life completely was the session on gender-based violence. I never understood that what I was going through in my husband’s family was abuse. After I gave birth, they barely gave me food or even soap to bathe. I was treated like I didn’t matter. That class opened my eyes. So, I decided to return to my parents’ home and rebuild my life. When my husband came to ask me to return, I told him to come with his family and accept me properly. They never came. That’s when I knew, they had never truly accepted me. And I was done settling for less.
I now have hope. I’ve used my stipends to buy three goats and ten chickens. I chose poultry because I can sell eggs, use the manure for farming, and build a sustainable business. I also bought a small piece of land to farm maize and groundnuts. I even saved to buy water containers and pots for my home.
In the future, I want to open a provision shop and expand my farm.
I have dreams now. Real, solid plans for my life and my daughter’s.