A savings group helped me to keep my children in school

I was alone from an early age and did not receive an education. My life has been a struggle since then. When I joined a savings group, I gained knowledge and support which has allowed my children to continue their education. Now, I encourage other parents to join these groups so that we can help to end child labour.

My name is Rebecca Nakayega Wandegge and I am 43 years old. My husband and I have eight children. Seven of our children are studying. The eldest is at university studying for a diploma in Agriculture and the next is doing a nursing course. The other five are in primary and senior school. 

When I was growing up, life was hard. My father died when I was four years old. Then, our mother got married again and left us alone.

Because I had no support, I did not get educated. If I had been educated, I would be in a better place now. But that is how life has been for me. Now, I try my best so that my children do not suffer as I have suffered.

My husband and I, we have lived a hard life. We got married 26 years ago, at a young age. Back then, we would work on rich people’s farms.

We would dig people’s fields in exchange for food. Sometimes, we would get some money for our basic needs. If we did not work on other people’s farms, then we would not have food to eat. This is a normal life when a person is not educated.

We cultivated tomatoes and cabbages to afford food. That was our life from the beginning. We endured it and welcomed our children into it.

Due to our limited income, our children started school when they were six years old.

I have always encouraged my children to study hard. Until now, I check on them while they are at school and often inquire about their studies. If a child repeats a class, to me that is a loss of income. I will have to spend more on school materials which are expensive.

But in the past, it was hard for them as they also had to support in providing labour. On days when they did not have school, they would work with us so that we could increase the little income that we had. Back then, we would sometimes give them heavy work beyond their age because we had no other alternatives.

I learned about the International Labour Organization’s ACCEL Africa project through a community mobilizer during the COVID-19 period. It was a tough time for us then.

The children were at home, and they helped us by harvesting coffee on rich people’s farms so that we could afford food. They would bring the money that they earned, and we would combine it to buy food for the day.

When the ILO project came, it supported us. Our children got teachers who taught them within the community. The project encouraged us to keep children in school and taught us not to involve children in hazardous work.

There was a time when the children would spray tomatoes, even at a young age. Through the ILO project, we realized how hazardous this was and how my children might be affected by the chemicals.

Life has changed greatly thanks to the project. When the project found us, we did not have a lot of knowledge about savings. Through the project, we learned how to save and manage savings. That is how our life started changing for the better.

The project gave us saving kits that included boxes, books, and t-shirts for the saving groups. The skills of saving and loaning that we learned helped us to get school fees for our children. We were able to follow what the project had taught us and keep our children in school. 

As part of the project, an agricultural officer from the ILO also taught us how to cultivate coffee with high yields. Now, we are  able to take diligent care of the coffee plants. This has allowed us to increase our income and help pay for our children’s school fees.

Without the project, I do not think my elder children would be in school now because I could not have supported them.

During the coffee harvest around August and September, you can still find parents who refuse to let their children go to school so that they can support in harvesting coffee.

When I see a parent practicing child labour, we try to sensitize them. Our biggest challenge is that many parents are not educated. They do not care whether their children get educated. They see that they are not educated but they can still make a living.

Many parents make life hard for their children because of their decisions.

Through the project, I have also become more visible in my community. Being in the group has taught me public speaking. Even when there are many people, I am not scared to stand up and express myself.

My message to other parents is to stop giving children heavy work beyond their age. Child labour must stop.

I encourage other people to join these groups because on your own you cannot manage everything. We need to work together. Like the saying goes, “The teeth that are together are the ones that chew meat.”

I have also gained friends. Each week, I find a day to go to the savings group meeting and we learn from each other. We always stick together in every situation of life. When I have a challenge, I reach out to the group, and we work together to solve it.