Guinea is a country in West Africa with a population of just over 10 million people – despite its small population, it is home to over 20 ethnic groups who speak more than 25 different languages. Like many countries throughout the world, ethnic differences cause tension in Guinea.
This is the exact reason 13-year-old Fatoumata accepted the position of Minister of Discrimination in her school’s student government.
“In my village, families do not easily accept each other. Those from the Mandingo ethnic group do not collaborate with ones from the Foula ethnic group,” she says. “Unfortunately, our parents’ bad behaviour has extended even to the schools and is affecting relationships between students on campus.”
Fatoumata notes that students often fight each other and that each group of students discriminates against the other.
Traditionally in Guinea, the voice of youth and children has been absent from decision-making, even on issues affecting them directly. However, with the establishment of children`s parliaments and youth clubs in ChildFund-supported schools, things are starting to change for young people.
“I want to talk about peace with my fellow students and, if possible, with our parents,” Fatoumata says. In her role as Minister of Discrimination, Fatoumata dreams of eliminating the discrimination she can see at school, which has been passed down through many generations.
“To my friends, I would say, ‘Make peace with each other because if we follow our parents’ bad ways, we will not grow to become good people.’ To the parents, I would say, ‘Help us grow and become good people in the future.'”
My father and mother are rice and groundnut (peanut) farmers. Neither one of them went to school. My mother got married around 18 years old and had six children, five girls and one boy, but one girl passed away. I am the youngest.
My two oldest sisters got married at 16 years old, and my brother was sent to live with a relative in Senegal to become a baker. My other sister was in school but dropped out when she got pregnant in grade nine because the school wouldn`t accept her anymore.
Until I was 12 years old, I stayed home all day and took care of my eldest sister`s baby. I wasn`t happy, since all the kids around me were going to school. I wanted to go to school because I could not speak English, so my mother finally allowed me to go to school. She advised me to do well in school. Sometimes she would cry in telling me this.
I was very focused on education because I kept hearing that education was the key to success.
Our school was lucky because ChildFund brought the Aflatoun (Children`s Club) program to us, which is a club where we get to together after to school to learn and play games. At our club I learnt about my rights. I liked going to Aflatoun, and I worked really hard and eventually was chosen as vice president by the teachers and students. In grade six, I was voted to become president, out of the 120 students in the group.
One day my father told me there was a man who wanted to marry me. He was much older, about 30 or more years older and already had a wife and a child. He was from another country and wasn`t educated. I did not want this. My father said the man would take care of me and pay for my school, and if I said no, I would no longer be his daughter, and he would take everything away.
He gave me three days to change my mind. The man tried to give me money to convince me, but I gave the money directly to my father and said I didn`t want it. I refused to take anything from that man. My mother couldn`t do anything to help me.
I continued going to school, and I was very sad. My teacher saw something was wrong with me, and eventually three teachers came to my house to see what had happened. They spoke to my father and learned that he was going to make me marry. They tried to convince him not to marry me off because I was doing so well in school. My father said he didn`t have any money to pay for school. The teachers and the local community organisation said they would support me. My father said that from now onward the teachers and God would be responsible for me.
With the support of my teachers, I stayed at home and finished sixth grade. ChildFund sponsored me to go into upper primary school by paying my school fees, and I went to live with another family.
I am in a good school, and I will be in eighth grade this coming year. My father is happy because he couldn`t pay school fees for me. He is a poor man, not a bad man, and he thought marrying me off was the only way that I could be taken care of.
My advice for other girls is that education is the key to success in life, and they should focus on education. Girls should be aware that many problems are caused by boys and sometimes even teachers, like sexual harassment. Girls should speak out to people and tell a teacher they can really trust.
Earlier this year, I was chosen to represent The Gambia at the Day of the African Child conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The sky really is the limit!
