“I took a vow to never lay a finger on a woman”
Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest percentage of single mothers worldwide, at 32%, as more men abandon their parenting role. Therefore, ensuring that young women are economically and personally empowered to provide quality care for their children is key.
My name is Linda. I'm a young man of 24 years of age who works as a Peer Educator for the Grieg Gender Project at the Nhlangano Location in Eswatini. I stay with my unemployed father and my 4 siblings. I used to see my father assaulting my mother and I would assume it was a cool thing to do because my mom wouldn't leave and she'd say ("ungshaya ngobe uyangtsandza") meaning he's hitting me because he loves me. I practically grew up thinking that women are things you can toy with, but the information and knowledge I received during the Grieg Gender Project trainings transformed my mindset on how I view women. I took a vow to never lay a finger on a woman no matter how angry I might be.
Personally, the project has boosted my self-esteem and helped me realise my skills and potential. I can proudly say that I've made an impact in some people's lives; I have helped people who were at the edge of giving up in life, some who had drowned in suicide thoughts. I feel so blessed to be in a position of helping other young people.
Today, I am pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work at Eswatini Medical Christian University, doing my second year and it is all thanks to the Grieg Gender Project.
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