Nivea was trafficked from her home in Karamoja by her aunty, who told her she would be helping to look after her young baby. She was taken to Kampala, but instead of helping her aunty, Nivea and her siblings were forced to beg on the streets.
Life in Kampala was hard, Nivea and her siblings were beaten by thieves who stole their money, they were knocked over by motorbikes in the road and faced regular threats of sexual assault. Food was often scarce and they were forced to sleep outside.
When she was eight, Nivea and her older sister were picked up by the authorities and brought back to her home village in Karamoja, to live with her elderly grandmother.
She soon took over the running of her grandmother’s firewood business, collecting and selling wood in her village.
Despite being safe with her grandmother, Nivea didn’t think that she would ever have the opportunity of going to school. She had always dreamt of learning and getting an education but had ‘no hope that I would ever be able to’ as she was the sole breadwinner for her family.
But, when a Child Rights Club started in her village, Nivea joined straight away. She loves attending meetings and helping other children in her community. After joining the Child Rights Club Nivea was encouraged to register at a local school and start her education.
Club members spoke to her family about the importance of education and persuaded her older sister to take over the running of the firewood business so that Nivea could focus on learning.
Nivea loves school and is flourishing there. She is still a proud member of her Child Rights Club and campaigns to encourage other children to go to school like she does.
