To my shock, Emma* my 11 year old daughter in class 6, who is also a first twin of my other daughter said somthing that touched me really deep and she wanted an answer. She asked " How many fathers don't take responsibility for their children? or is it because I am a girl that my father does not take care of me?"

She continued to say that" I am a clever girl and I can do much better in my academics. I know I will achieve my goals in life even though my mother is struggling very hard for our upkeep. I know our lives will be better in future. Sometimes in class I feel so low and my education is really affected by the fact that we are in debt and haven't finished paying for my remedial fee, or my lunch fee has not been cleared. It has reached the piont where we no longer eat school food until my dear mother is able to clear the debt. Yet I know full well that there is someone who is also responsible for me and my sister. I am asking where is my father?

Even if he has another family, why can't he show equality and provide for us as he provides for his other children. I want to be like other children and I don't want us to suffer the way we do."

As a parent and a community leader, I know that there are many other children who undergo this same issues. They are young but they are traumatized by the various problems that they face. This often leads to their poor performance in school and they end up not acheiving their goals.

This is not the childrens fault  and I believe that many men betrayed their wives and their children. They no longer take responsibility for them and as a result many young women are left with the difficult task of taking care of the children singlehandedly. Many times the children will not have access to some of their basic needs because their mother as hard as she works does not have enough income.