SA: Mary Morolong

“I am now able to put food on the table for my children and I have more confidence in myself and the future looks brighter than before.”

I was 18 years when I got married, customary marriage where Lobola was paid and I was send off to stay with my in laws. Clouded by love I was willing and going to do everything for my marriage. I went to the Gender Links I was keeping this perfectly married look. Possibilities where people or other women where envying me. To me it was keeping up appearance that I was supposed to do as a properly married traditional woman.   

When I joined the training I was a member of the ward community and I did not know emotional abuse and economic abuse counted and because I did not have any scars to show I was fine.  And I joined   the Gender Links programme last year and attended all the phases, which most of them were very helpful, education us on entrepreneurship and being able to take change of our lives and manage a business with knowledge. 

My most challenge was that I was unemployed for years but now I started a business of food gardening. I was just a house wife and now I am involved in the projects that are happening in my community. I am now able to put food on the table for my children and I have more confidence in myself and the future looks brighter than before. Hoping I would succeed in my business. 

The training has helped me a lot to be where I am today. And the council has assisted me by give our community a small piece of land where we grow our vegetables. 

I was experiencing physical and emotional abuse from my husband but now things are better than before although I wish we could live in peace in my house and treat me as his equal partner.    

I have seen a lot of change in my community, the way the community is seeing the change in me. Before I was just a house wife who was sitting at home waiting for the husband to come back from work to abuse me and I am taking charge of my life. I am my own woman now. And by doing so have I influence about 20 women and men in my community to join me in the food gardening project at least we are not having nothing to do, now we have food for our families and we also sell.