"Lulu"

Lulu is quiet but always alert. She is also the jokester of the group. She is always there to crack a hilarious joke or provide a funny anecdote. She has called the safe house her home for six months now. Her story demonstrates her strength and ability to overcome strife and hardship.

Lulu's mother died when she was just a young girl, and she never knew her biological father. She lived with her grandparents, and she got an education through the end of Form 1. After the term ended, her grandparents told her they would no longer pay for her education; Lulu was very disappointed because she genuinely wanted to continue. She says that on top of this, her grandparents were abusing and harassing her as well. When her uncle came to live with them, he raped her. When she tried to say anything, there were threats of killing her.

These unthinkable instances of violence, compounded with her inability to access education, lead Lulu to think about suicide. She stood by a water well and looked down for several minutes, contemplating if she wanted to jump. She ultimately chose to walk away from the well, saving her own life. When asked about what was going through her head at this moment, Lulu said that she knew life would get better, and she knew people who could help her.

Calling upon a mother where she lived, Lulu told her story. She had an aunt that had previously left her number in case of an emergency. Lulu called her and went to live with them in a single-room house. There were many arguments between Lulu's aunt and her husband, and Lulu felt guilty as she thought her presence was causing the fights. During this time, she also met her stepbrother, and Lulu was happy to have met another relative. However, her stepbrother's wife would yell at her, pick arguments with her, and tell her she was worthless.

Lulu felt as though she had no other but to get married. About a month into the marriage, Lulu became pregnant. She stated that the troubles in her marriage grew as her mother-in-law encouraged her son to beat and abuse Lulu. When asked why this happened, Lulu said that her husband's mother was traditional and claimed that Lulu did not respect the household. When Lulu went into labor, she was alone. Her husband did not come to support the birth and did not pay any hospital fees.

Lulu went back to her husband regardless, thinking that he could change. The previous continued threats of violence discouraged Lulu from going to the police. Her husband refused to work and did not allow Lulu to get a job, but she stayed for another year. He continued to verbally and physically abuse Lulu, yet she persisted. When she could no longer handle the poverty and abuse she was facing, she called for a mother's help. She stayed in a short-term shelter until she connected with the current safe house she currently resides.

Lulu says she has healed from the pain in the past six months. Farm work keeps her calm and provides her with a sense of comfort. She says that she used to feel useless, as this is all she ever heard from her family and those around her. Learning various skills has crushed these thoughts as she moves through the world. She feels that she can be independent and pursue a profession in business. When she leaves, she hopes to be an advocate for mothers, street children, and those who face abuse and violence.

Lulu's story demonstrates how poverty and a lack of education and family can send someone through a series of traumas. She attempted to reach out to the family she did have, and they could not support her. Her story also demonstrates the lack of emphasis on the education of young girls. This is usually fueled by poverty and inadequate funds. In both Nepal and Kenya, I realized that child marriage, early pregnancies, and vulnerability are driven by poverty, as young girls are not in school. Voicing this and attempting to change school policies, aiding families in sending girls to school, and making this a priority can also help in reducing instances of sexual violence.