The Day They Conspired to Kill my Mother
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Step into the shoes of our incredible young women Scholars in South Sudan as they share their personal stories of an unforgettable day. From unfathomable heartbreak to profound joy, these authentic accounts offer a window into their lives and unwavering resilience. Join us on this powerful journey through their unforgettable days.
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These accounts are written in response to the essay prompt, “A day in your life you will never forget”.
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These stories were originally handwritten by the Scholars, and their names, the names of family members and places have been removed to safeguard the sensitivity of their accounts. The narratives have been transcribed and slightly revised by our staff for enhanced readability and comprehension.
There was a man who wanted to marry my sister. At that time, we all lived in the village. This man approached my father to ask for my sister's hand in marriage, and my father agreed.
However, my mother objected because the man was very old. Despite her disagreement, my sister was eventually forced into marrying the old man. On the day of the wedding, my mother advised my sister to flee from home, which she did. When it was time for the wedding preparations, my father discovered my sister's absence and, in anger, he beat my mother. After beating my mother, he chased all of us away from the compound.
A few days later, my father's friends suggested a harsh plan to find my sister. They said the only way to find his daughter was to kill our mother. They said my sister would return if she heard that they killed my mother, and then they would be able to force her to marry that man. My father did not agree with their plan but his friends conspired to kill my mother anyway. Meanwhile, my father remained silent on the matter and to make things worse he took a new wife. He asked us children to go stay with his new wife, and so we went.
Our stepmother would send us out daily to gather firewood. Upon returning, she often scolded and beat us, accusing us of taking too long to gather the wood out in the bush.
During this period, our father was away, tending to his cattle in faraway places. Our stepmother prevented us from going to school. She has us stay home and care for her own children instead. While her children continued their education, we were tasked with washing their uniforms and preparing their meals. Often, we didn't eat unless we had fetched water that day, which would then earn us a meal.
To try and ease our suffering, my older sister married a man who then took us in. He paid for our school fees. Our sister is still working hard to support our education.
Staff Update: Written in mid-2023, she is now attending high school in South Sudan on a full scholarship from Mercy Beyond Borders.