In Lyamutundwe, a small village on the out skirts of Entebbe survives a 16 year old teenage mother, Jovia Naiga.
With a tip from a local pastor, we embarked on the journal to ascertain Jovia’s blurry story.
Jovia is among thousands of school going children who were forced to remain home in the wake of COVID-19 when the president announced a total lockdown.
The teenager narrates how she was lured and impregnated by a Boda-Boda cyclist who has since been on a run, “I didn’t want, he lied to me and it eventually happened,” said Jovia.
According to Naiga, after realizing that she was pregnant, she wanted to abort because the pregnancy was seemingly dimming her future, but with recommendations from doctors, the abortion was canceled.
The young girl braved the odds to bring forth a new life, at only 15, Jovia became amother giving birth to a bouncing baby boy, Elijah Kintu a year ago. “My brother thought of an abortion, but I was scared so they gave up on the abortion plans and that is how I eventually gave birth to Elijah,” revealed Jovia.
Nestled in her brother’s home, Naiga can be found looking after her one-year old baby boy in the rare of her house.
According to Jovia’s brother, Serugo, the incident was never expected, ” I didn’t expect it and when I heard that she was pregnant, it hit me hard. We reported a defilement case at Entebbe police station under reference number 91/21/01/2021and the suspect who is still at large is Frank Kiyingi.” Said Serugo.
Sserugo, who has accommodated Jovia since pregnancy, notes that the situation is worsening since even the place where they stay is in a poor state and cannot accommodate all.
Sserugo is brick layer only earning pea nuts that can not with stand to cater for his 4 member family and Jovia with her son as well.
To Jovia, defilement did not only rapture her sexuality but also sunk her academic dreams leaving her future in utter ruins, “I saw my entire life crumbling down, I felt bad,”
Although she stays with her brother, the young girl must fend for herself and the baby, “as you can see, my brother’s source of income is meager, so I have resorted to working as a house maid at our neighbor’s house and at the end of the month,I get 60,000 Shillings which helps me cater for personal needs as well as looking after my son.” Narrated Jovia.