 Edina
had eight siblings. One of
them, a brother, has died
and she is raising his four
children – ages 13, 11, 8
and 6 – along with her son.
Edina also cares for her
mother, who is old and
cannot work. With her pay
from The ABATAKA Collection
jewelry-making, Edina has
opened a bank account and
tries to save.
Edina also tries to make
additional money by selling
fish, salt and charcoal from
a ramshackle stall she has
built of plywood and chicken
wire, outside her home. If
she could earn more, she
says, she would like to
attend night school; as of
yet, she still struggles to
cover the household
expenses. She has budgeted
to buy some clothes for the
children, and three of them
are in school – but until
she earns more, the other
two must wait to attend.
Edina believes that to get
the education she needs, she
may have to take night
school courses over eight
years. But she is determined
to do that if necessary –
and she draws strength
during the day from going to
the support group, to see
her friends, sing and talk
and make jewelry with them.
Updated
information following
a visit to Zambia in August
2010:
Edina has
struggled over the past
couple years. Her husband
and she got into an argument
and he stabbed her in the
forehead with a screwdriver.
Edina went to the clinic the
next morning to seek medical
care and found her husband
there with his girlfriend.
Edina and the girlfriend had
an argument which ended up
in a physical altercation.
Edina was encouraged to file
a police report on the
incident with her husband
and went to the station. She
found her husband there,
attempting to file a police
report against Edina for the
assault on his girlfriend.
Edina left and went to her
in-laws house to try to
discuss the situation with
them. On returning home, the
police were waiting to
arrest Edina. After hearing
her side of the story and
seeing her wounds on her
forehead, they decided not
to arrest her. Edina asked
her husband to support her
and her child but he refused
to do so. Edina went to
court to file for divorce.
The judge informed her
husband that he needed to
pay for Edina and the child.
He has since moved away and
Edina does not know where he
is.
Although Edina is very sad
about the loss of her
husband, she is dedicated to
providing the best life for
her son who is almost 2
years old. She will be able
to support herself and her
baby with the money from her
jewelry sales.
When you buy
jewelry from The ABATAKA
Collection you befriend African
women on a journey. With your
help, they will rise from
poverty to empowerment; from
AIDS and despair to health and
hope. |
