by Hilda, 14, Uganda
I have had enough suffering and met many hardships along my journey in this world.  I wish to share a few with you.

When I was only one year old, my father died of AIDS, leaving behind four orphans, I being the last born. 

When I started going to school, I used to miss classes most of the time due to school fees problem.  And I remember one instance when I sat home for almost two months because I couldn’t pay my school fees.  Even if my mother acquired my fees, she could not afford all the scholastic materials. So I had to ask for assistance from my friends at school, who later insulted me in class, preaching to everyone that “Hilda is too poor! She can not even afford herself a book or a pen to use.” 

Moreover I had become a laughing stock because I used to go to school bare footed and was always identified at school assembly as a school fees defaulter.

Outside of school, I was also stigmatised together with my family members by schoolmates and the community.  Everyone pointed fingers at my mother calling her a moving corpse!  This used to hurt me so much.  I even remember those days when we could only have one meal a day as a family because it’s only what we could afford.

With God’s grace, I managed to reach my 7th lower grade.  Again my mum failed to raise my school fees just towards my final exams.  Since I was good at singing and dancing for the previous six years of my education, I had made my school popular in the catholic world.  This forced my headmistress to allow me sit for my exams free of charge.

During my vacation, my mum fell seriously ill.  This really tortured me both physically and emotionally.  Thinking that she was going to  die, I had to wipe my tears away and take her to the Aids Supporting Organisation (TASO) centre for treatment every morning, while my elder brothers and sister had to take care of the family which was child  labour indeed.  But I later recovered my happiness when she was given ARV (anti-retroviral) drugs.

Deep inside of me, I always bore a thought in mind: “One day one time, I shall overcome the suffering, because no child is meant to suffer in God’s presence.”

I had also a saying that, ‘Forget the past and look at the future.”

So in 2005, I was rescued from all the suffering by Outside The Dream foundation, an organisation helping orphans and street kids (by paying their school fees and preparing them for university).  That is when I came to realise that “No Child is meant to suffer.”

I believe that all this suffering I passed through will come to an end because as I speak now, I am in my second year of college in one of the best schools in Uganda.  

And for this I believe that God has another plan for me to go ahead to the next level, where there is no suffering and crying, but peace and joy together with all my brothers and sister who have been good companions and encouragement along my journey on earth.         

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Hilda: “I am in my 9th grade at one of the best schools in Uganda.  My favourite subjects are Chemistry, Physics, Biology, English and Mathematics.  I am able to get distinctions in all my subjects.  I have always had a dream of becoming a doctor.  I like listening to music, swimming and dancing.”

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