Meet Esther Kollie. She is a student of the Star Girls Foundation learning trades of different kinds to keep herself going as a high school dropout. Esther lived in the streets for many years with all hopes lost, but she is now out of the street and put her hands to work for a better future.
Decontee: How are you doing?
Esther: I am fine.
Decontee: Sure, I can tell from the smile.
Esther: Thank you (Laughs).
Decontee: What is your name?
Esther: I am Esther Kollie.
Decontee: How are your parents?
Esther: Well, my father is doing okay, but my mother is late.
Decontee: I am so sorry about that.
Esther: The thing is, I grew up with my mother only and I never knew my father till I was 16 years when my mother took me to my father for the first time in my life. My mother supported my education throughout my days in high school.
Decontee: How was it like meeting your father for the first time?
Esther: I was filled with joy; I gave my father a hug and never wanted to let go, and he was surprised when my mother told him that I was his child. He told me sorry for everything that happened, but I never had time for his apology because my mother gave me everything I wanted. After the introduction, I spent one week at his house and I had so much fun.
Decontee: How were your high school days with your mother?
My mother did her best to support my education. I was not put out of school and I had everything I wanted, but I never completed high school. I got pregnant in the 11th grade and because of that, I could not go back to school, and I have not put in efforts as well. I know that there is a possibility that I can go back to school, but since my mother is dead, I want to get myself doing something so I can stand up for myself.
Decontee: What are some challenges you had when you got pregnant at an early age?
Esther: My mother was very disappointed in me, after putting in all her efforts to support my education as a single mother. She was so disappointed and ashamed that she used all kinds of words on me; she told me that I put all her efforts to waste and she could never boast of me anywhere because I became mother at an early age. Tears came down my eyes when I heard her saying all these words. God first, my mother was everything to me, my education, and wellbeing. I saw the pain in her eyes but I could not do anything because I was already pregnant and what really hurt me more was knowing that the child never came as the result of me having a boyfriend, but I was raped. This happened on my campus and my mother tried to take the case court but because she never had money, we dropped the case, and that was how I ended up staying out of school.
Decontee: With all that, what do you see as your biggest achievement?
Esther: even though I never completed high school, I am doing something that I will not have to depend on men to do everything for me. I don’t want to waste my life sitting at home waiting for one man to come from work before I ask him to buy me water to drink; I am putting hands to work to be able to help my children in the future.
Decontee: What are you doing for a living now?
Esther: For now, I am not doing anything much, but I am engaging myself into learning trade. I am currently attending two different trade schools. The Star Girls and another on Front Street; I am taking advantage of them because it is often said that opportunity comes one time. For the Star Girls Foundation, I am learning three different trades which can help me to take care of myself.
Decontee: How did you end up on the street?
Esther: My street life started when my mother got sick and there was no family member to help my siblings; my mother had six children and she was the one doing everything for us. After her death, I took her responsibility and started taking care of my siblings. I later met a friend who encouraged me to go in the streets. When I first started, I felt bad and I told myself that I was someone who used to have everything without coming in the street, but at that time I had no choice because I was getting money out of the streets from sleeping in the street. I was renting place for myself and I had people living with me and two things I never did on the streets was to smoke and drink alcohol; people who knew about it used to tell me that I was still bluffing and that I am a new comer. I enjoyed being on the street; I never had it in mind that my future was on the line.
Decontee: How did you feel leaving the street?
Esther: It was God that took me off the streets, and I am very happy that I am no longer that person I was. I left the street and I did a check-up at the hospital and there was no sickness, disease, or unwanted pregnancy, and I don’t have any streets marks on my body. Today, I can be around people who I never used to go around; there were times people stopped me from going around them because of how I was looking, but today, I am glad that people come to me and that makes me so much happy. Thinking about my past life makes me to know that street life is not good.
Decontee: Lastly, do you have anything to say to the young people?
Esther: For those that are on the street, I want to tell them that there is nothing in street life. I was there before, but by the grace of God, I am here today. There is so much pain on the street which is not helpful for the youths, especially for us the young women coming up in the society.