A 15-year-old girl, part of the global issue of child brides, escaped from a 35-year-old man who subjected her to sexual abuse. Originating from Tanzania, Latifa, raised in a family of six, was forced into marriage at a young age and faced hardships such as hunger and limited meals despite her passion for education, especially in science and physics.
Expressing her dream of becoming a doctor, Latifa shared her aspirations with Plan International, envisioning herself working at a hospital to help sick children. However, her life took a drastic turn when her father arranged her marriage to Salum, a man she barely knew. Overwhelmed and confused, Latifa found herself in a situation where she was mistreated and forced into unwanted physical intimacy.
After enduring months of abuse and giving birth to a baby girl, Salum abandoned Latifa, leaving her homeless with her infant. Alone and desperate, she resorted to begging for food in the market to survive. Fortunately, she was eventually rescued by a woman named Happy, who provided her with shelter and support.
Now, Latifa is rebuilding her life, earning income through a community savings program and striving to ensure a better future for her daughter. She remains hopeful that her child will have access to education and will not face the same plight of forced marriage that she experienced.
