Faith Misoi: Education expanded my thinking

I am Faith Misoi, a 17 year old form 3 student at St. Peters Waunifor secondary school. Before I joined the SEAL program in 2018, I was so involved in relationships with fellow classmates who made advances at me in school. At one point when I was in form one, I was in a relationship with three boys from the same class. It was certainly a time robbing involvement and as a result I failed my exams as I focused more on relationships and devoted little time to my studies. I realize that I was headed in the wrong direction this one time my mean grade was a D. I was also over dependent on my parents who could not afford everything for every single need I had. At times I would go without the basic things I needed such as sanitary towels and stationery which really affected my academic and social life.

Through the training on sexual reproductive health I got to learn about STI’S and how they are transmitted and also got a chance of seeing the effects STI’s like genital herpes, syphilis and gonorrhea among others had on the body. This made me think of the risks I had exposed myself to and through trainings on assertiveness, self-awareness, self-esteem and other life skills I was able to stop focusing on relationships and instead prioritized my studies. The boys I had been in relationships with also got the training and we all unanimously agreed to focus on our studies.

I was also trained on entrepreneurship, business idea generation and personal finance management. This jolted my mind to think of what I could do to sustain my needs and I decided that for starters I would do small jobs such as weeding crops for my neighbors so that I could raise money for my needs. I saved for some time and I used the money to buy a hen. After a while the business grew to several chicken and I now sell both eggs and chicken which enables me to buy my personal effects such as sanitary towels and stationery like a mathematical set and log book. This has helped in improving my academic performance since I don’t miss classes because I either lack sanitary towels during my menses or a mathematical table which had in the past forced me to stay at home.

The team eating boiled eggs from Faith Misoi Chicken

Today, I am empowered and proud of myself as I have improved academically, socially and economically. In the last exams I got a mean grade of C in my exams and I feel that I am progressing in the right direction. Through the Behavior Change Communication Groups (BCCGs), I have been able to reach out to my peers with the knowledge and skills I acquired from the SEALs training especially on Sexual and Reproductive Health and economic empowerment to empower them as well so that they are in a position to make informed choices in their lives.

When I complete my studies, I want to become a journalist and I will work extra hard in my studies to accomplish my set goals in life. I will also train more of my peers to abstain and build a healthy community of empowered youth. I would like appreciate the SEALs program for making me the person I am today, thank you very much

“When I learnt, I didn’t need to have big money to start my business, I started my cosmetics business immediately!”

“With my income, I pay my children’s school fees, health issues and my personal needs.”

The Sustainable Livelihoods Programme (SLP)

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Faith Misoi: Education expanded my thinking