I was 14 years old, sitting in a class of 70 Maasai student in Lendikinya village in Tanzania.
Every one of us paid close attention to the lesson since it was only three weeks to this big exam
which was to determine whom to go to secondary school.
It was a surprise to see a huge man entering in our class who was new to our eyes.
We all stopped the discussing and listened to the man.
He was trying to advise us to have such a need of education after standard seven.
I looked down and I started crying, not able to listen to the man anymore.
At 14 I'm going to be somebody wife, I thought.
I knew my father could not even wait for a man before I was married,
although it was not part of my plan.
Others girls in my class did not show such emotion because they tend to respect the Maasai culture.
I was confused and scared. “What can I do?” I asked to myself.
Later on the headmaster called me into his office.
He said “Memusi, you were abnormal when the guest was speaking. What was wrong?”
I took the handkerchief from my pocket and I wiped all the tears from my face.
Then I said “Teacher, I don't think I will continue with secondary school because I will be married.”
He said “Memusi, you are very bright, and I know you will figure it out. I will try to help you to go to secondary school.”
I took in a deep breath and I felt as if I finished a glass of cold, fresh drinking water.
I felt as if someone is on my side.
He say, but at the same time I couldn't believe his promise would really be true, because I would be married for so soon. But I get hope.
Two days later the man who was soon to be my husband came to visit me as his future wife.
The man is a drunk. I used to see him on my way from school to home, just screaming on the road.
My father could not consider his drunkness, because it was the son of my father friend.
My mother would love so much if I could continue with secondary school, as she always advised me to study hard.
And she already have the foresight that education will lead to many opportunities.
My mother could not want to leave me with the man in the house, but due to Maasai tradition, that the couples need to remain alone, should have to do so.
but due to Masai tradition, that the couples need to remain alone, she had to do so.
The man was sitting face-to-face across me, and lighting the candle provide only a small amount of light to our faces.
I worried.
What if a small amount of wind will pass through the door and turn off the light?
The man will force me to have sex, I thought.
I looked back again to the man who was to own me as a property.
At the beginning I tried to be polite and I asked him to leave my mother house. He tried not, he seemed not to take care of what I told him.
But he continued convincing me, tried to be nice to me and to convince me to marry him.
He said “please finish primary school and we will marry each other,
and don’t worry because I'll provide you with anything you would need.”
At the second time I was a little bit angry and I tried to give myself strength and confidence and asked him to leave the house.
He said “what is the problem if I will sleep with you in this house?”
I even felt angry and pressured, and I heard my own face telling the man,
“trust my words, you will remain sitting here until the morning or you will go home,
because you are not going to take your crooked legs into my bed.”
[applause]
He stood up quickly from the chair and he bent a little bit to me and he said angrily
“A woman could not dare to tell me such a kind of words,” but he left.
I was proud but scared.
What if my parents heard me shouting to the man?
What if the man would tell my father?
What if the man will tell other people in my community?
I have no idea if he told my parent or not, but I focused back on my studies.
Luckily, a school known as Orkeeswa brought an application to my primary school.
I even wanted, I wished if the night could turn to be the day so I could study more
because this was the only one chance which I got to go to secondary school.
At the last day of school, the headmaster handed me a letter, and I opened it.
It was written “Dear Memusi, you're accepted to Orkeeswa secondary school.”
I ran behind the tree which was beside our class and I cried for happiness.
I went back home and I found my mother chopping the firewood outside the house, ready to prepare dinner.
She looked at me in surprise and she said “what's the letter for?”
Then I told her it's about being accepted at Orkeeswa secondary school,
she put the axe down and she jump up and down for joy.
She come and she shake my hand and she hug me for congratulation.
I then take the letter to my father.
I worried that his reaction would be big and he could be angry.
But he did not react as I expected,
but he looked down as he was leaning against the house,
and he looked disappointed.
He crossed his arm, he looked me, he looked unhappy.
He blamed on the bride price which he received from the man.
He asked “how many were you selected?”
“Eight out of 70,” I answered.
He shook his head, he seemed surprised that I was clever enough, but he said nothing.
I was left with some question. Why my father kept quiet but unhappy?
I was not about to read my father mind,
but I knew most Maasai people from my community are not very much confidence to argue against the government.
And it is because the government is separate from the tribe.
Since the letter looked official, my father could not argue
and therefore I knew that I will not be married.
Although my father was not very much proud that I was going to secondary school, but I knew that was the door to my future.
I continued secondary school, and I am now in an advanced level
representing only one percent of girls from rural Tanzania who make it to A level.
[applause]
I am about to graduate, and I want to be a doctor
so as I can help to treat people in my community.
Through my strength and determination, I am now seen as a role model in my community,
and my father has changed, and he's proud of me,
and he even allowed my young sister, Nata, to attend Orkeeswa secondary school last year in December.
[applause]
I don't want to destroy culture, but I want to change the traditional way of girls being married at a young age
by bringing awareness and the importance of education to my culture.
Thank you.