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My names are, Patricia Warigia, I was born in 1985 at Pumwani hospital in Nairobi. At first, it was a bundle of joy for my mother to have given birth to me.

My mother was a great role model to me, as she would provide for my needs, seeing me grow up in a lovely way was her great achievement.She enabled me  learn and appreciate what true love and care was.

As fate would have it, one day my mother fell sick, I thought it was just a common cold and after a few days, she would be better. As days went by, they turned into months and my mother’s situation worsened more and more. She could no longer not only go to work frequently,but even to prepare me for school.

I watched my mother writhing in pain but could not do anything. All I could do was to wipe her tears, each and every moment he was in great pain. I did not have a relative in mind I knew his/her place here in Nairobi. I had to rely on neighbors assistance but this could not last for long.

She took me to my aunt’s place so that she could take care of me. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I could not imagine staying without my mother around me. I had no option, but just to follow her orders.

I had to repeat a grade in school.  After staying with my aunt for one year,
my cousin started abusing, beating, cutting me with a panga, and making
me work like a house girl.  But I was still going to school.Then she
decided to co me to Nairobi and leave me and her children.

Her firstborn was seven and the other was three years.  She left maize and beans for us to cook, but it was not enough for the months she was gone.  She did not tell me when she would come back. I struggled with those children and there was nobody to help me  feed them.

I decided to go to Nairobi to look for help because my mother was
there.  When I got in touch with my mother, she shouted at me and
beat me. “Why do you come here?  You don’t want to continue with
school?” I told  her we did not have food.

She gave me 500 shillings and ordered me to go back to Nyeri. After two weeks, she was back and the mistreatment worsened to an extent of making me run away and I went to put up with a friend of mine, far away from my aunt’s place.

The moment I reached 14 years of age, I decided to come back to Nairobi, in search of peace and where I would feel loved. Little did I know of what was ahead of me.

I found a boyfriend who cheated on me.  I had three
children with him and then he left me and married another wife.  So
now I am alone and my children still have problems.  There are no good
jobs and I  am now selling porridge to feed my children and earn rent.

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