Finding hope: A journey from struggle to opportunity

My name is Auma Tracy, and I am 15 years old. I am the youngest of ten children born in Oyam District. My parents separated when I was young, and my father remarried in Kamdini, while I remained with my mother in Obafu village. In 2022, I had to leave school after Primary Six because my mother could no longer afford the fees and other basic necessities. With my older siblings already married, it was just my mother and me at home. From 2022 until early 2024, I helped her with farming to support our family.

During that time, I became determined to earn my own income and gain some independence. After speaking with a friend who had visited Kampala, I realized that moving to a town like Gulu might offer better opportunities. My relationship with my mother had become strained, and after I sneaked out one night, she threatened me with a panga. Feeling trapped, and with my friend offering to help me move to Gulu, I decided to leave while my mother was away.

However, life in Gulu turned out to be much harder than I had anticipated. We struggled to find work, so I stayed with my sister in Anaka town council for about a month, working as a housemaid. Unfortunately, the pay was barely enough to survive. When that job ended, I thought that returning to Gulu might improve my chances of finding work. In June 2024, my friend and I went back to Gulu City without informing our guardians.

In Gulu, we found ourselves without a place to stay and had only enough money for one meal. A man who worked at a lodge offered us accommodation, but in exchange, we had to endure unwanted advances from men. Despite the discomfort, we kept searching for jobs, but it was difficult without proper skills. I eventually found work at a local restaurant, but the pay was too low, and I had to rely on uncomfortable encounters with men to make ends meet.

As the situation worsened, we were evicted from the lodge. That’s when we discovered Hashtag Gulu’s Safe Space and met a social worker who took an interest in our situation. Hashtag Gulu provided us with temporary shelter at the Gulu GBV shelter for five days while they worked to reconnect us with our families and mediate with our parents.

In the end, I was reintegrated into my home, and after mediation by the Hashtag Gulu team, my mother welcomed me back. I have now enrolled in agricultural training at the Hashtag Gulu Farm and Training Centre, which I am very excited about. With my previous experience in farming and piggery, this represents a fresh start for me, and I am hopeful that the skills I gain will help me secure a stable job or become self-employed.

I am incredibly grateful to Hashtag Gulu for their support, and guidance and for helping me realize that, as a young girl, my home is the safest and best place for me.