Pursuit of a Bright Future
A girl who fought child marriage and returned to School
[The name of the girl has been changed]
In a small village in Ambo district, West Showa Zone, Oromia Region, Duretti Gadisa (13) faced the risk of child marriage. In 2025, she was a bright and determined fifth‑grade student at Mankata Primary School, proudly ranked fourth in her class. Her teachers admired her commitment, and her future seemed full of promise.
“I have always been committed to my education and loved to go to school. I never wanted to be late, and I attended class regularly. I enjoyed learning and playing with my classmates,” recalls Duretti.
But her dream was shattered when she received a marriage proposal. Her parents firmly rejected it, insisting that she was far too young and should focus on her education. Though her father felt unsure about what to do, her mother took a firm position: their daughter’s education must not be disrupted and cut short. For Duretti, her feelings were clear; she didn’t want to get married but wanted to continue learning and build her future. Being a member of the school’s gender club, she had received life-skills education that equipped her with knowledge of how and where to report such threats. Thus, she decided to take firm action and reported the case to the gender club coordinator and the school director.
Despite her firm stand on the issue of marriage, the suitor refused to take no for an answer. After learning that Duretti rejected the proposal, he and a few of his friends began to follow her on the way to school. The pressure and threats escalated her fear and forced her to drop out of school.
Her disappearance did not go unnoticed. The gender club, teachers, and classmates alerted the school’s director to report the case to the village social worker and the child protection committee, who immediately began intervening.
The director, along with gender club members and a social worker, visited Duretti’s family first, reminding them of her academic achievements and the school’s commitment to support and recognize the importance of girls' education.
When the family explained their fears, the social worker engaged with the school director to convene a community meeting, bringing together the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), the child rights committee, local elders, and both families involved.
During the meeting, an open and respectful dialogue unfolded. Community members agreed that she was underage and that marriage would harm her future by robbing her childhood, disrupting her learning opportunities, and preventing her from achieving her dreams. The suitor’s family acknowledged their mistake, publicly apologized, and agreed to drop the proposal.
With the issue resolved, Duretti returned to school. Today, she is in grade six, studying with renewed determination and dreaming of becoming a medical doctor. She also wants to be a role model for other girls, teaching parents and peers that child marriage blocks a girl’s future. Her story stands as a powerful reminder of how integrated girls’ empowerment, education, and community-based child protection systems can safeguard children’s rights and keep them in school.
“I am happy to be back in school after being rescued from this marriage. I was almost forced to drop out, but now I know my rights, and I will work to reach my goals.”
Today, she is an active member of the school gender club. She shares her story with younger students and encourages girls to stay in school. The club and community members now help identify and support girls who are at risk, offering encouragement and practical help so they do not drop out of school, pursue their dreams, and reach their full potential.
With generous funding from the European Union, the Government of Denmark, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and implemented in partnership with the Oromia Development Association, the project aims to restore essential education services for vulnerable and disadvantaged children. The project integrates education, child protection, life skills training, and psychosocial support for those affected by gender-based violence. It also strengthens schools and communities through training programmes, classroom construction, the establishment of a girls' menstrual hygiene management room, and the distribution of hygiene kits.
Together, these interventions have created safer and more supportive learning environments, empowering communities to stand against harmful practices like child marriage and helping girls regain their confidence on issues that matter to them and pursue a future that they deserve.
“Thanks to the school, the gender club, the social workers, UNICEF, and organizations that supported me, I can study again,” she says. “I am happy to be back in school after being rescued from child marriage. I am determined to continue my education, and nothing will stop me from reaching my dreams.”
