Zambia: Marjorie Musiyebo

I joined the training in 2013, and I have attended all the 3 trainings. All the sessions were very useful. I found myself in this training after being identified by the Victim support unit (VSU) in Kasama. I attended the first training where were asked to give an account of what we have been through. After the collection of I stories we started phase one training.  We were taught so many things of how we can diversify and start new business or simply expand the ones we already had. I prized everything that we learned during the training, but what I found most beneficial was the lesson on how to handle finances and record keeping. I found everything we learnt to be very beneficial everting that was taught am able to relate to and for that reason nothing was least useful. Overall I did not face any challenge and for that am grateful.

Before the training I used to sale buns in order to earn a living, currently I have a saloon that I am running I also sale food staffs to the food reserve agency (FRA). The training has really helped me a lot and it is even the reason I have turned to diversify. The council has not helped me in any way and they rather seem very reluctant to help, the only time they ever have time for us is when we have a training with GL.

I have experienced economic and emotional violence at the hands of my husband this went on for some time and I was always making excuses for him that he would change and that maybe he was just overwhelmed with a lot of other things. Unfortunately for me he never changed instead he just kept getting worse. In the end I just had to end our marriage because I was afraid of how my children would turn out and what kind of life we would all live. Luckily the divorce was granted and I no longer face any gender based violence.

My ex-husband still wants us to get back together but after all I have been through I feel I cannot go down that road with him again. The change has been very good for me and my children, first we are no longer in fear. My children are now happy because they do not have to see me being beaten or wake up in the middle of the night because of the arguments. My family are more than happy because after the divorce they say I have finally reached my full potential I am able to stand on my own and take charge of my life. My thinking on economic empowerment and reducing gender based violence is that there really is no link but rather depends on the personality of an individual. Even women who are empowered are sometimes abused by their partners and they do not do anything about it.

I feel that the change in my live is influencing people not to stay in abusive relationships and to be able to stand on their own feet like I have. I tell them that sometimes all we need to do is try out something new. I am seen differently now before I was just a woman who was ready to give up her happiness just to save a marriage that was failing but now am a different person. Happiness is not all about being married I have come to realize that I am happier now than when I was ever married.

I have learned so much and I am applying all the lessons to my business and my live as an induvial. By 2030 I want all of my children to be well educated. I also want to expand my saloon so that it is very well recognized so that even when am gone my children can be well taken care of. My thanks go to Gender links Zambia and all their team for their dedication and hard work started and growing.