Tanny sits in the vegetable patch she started after joining CARE's saving and loans group. © CARE Mali/Dana Dobrescu LeroyAt 13, forced into an early marriage, Tanny’s future did not look bright. But five years later a CARE International supported savings and loans group allowed her to take control in her life and fight the practice.
Going places
All those who knew Tanny, a young girl from Timbuktu, could see her potential to go far in life. She dreamed of university. But one day, when only 13, her future changed. Her father decided she must be married.
“You cost us too much!” he told her. She tried to resist. Her uncle and aunt attempted to stand up for her. But the decision was already taken.
No more school
So before her fourteenth birthday Tanny found herself the new wife of a 26 year old. He wanted to allow her to complete school – but it was not up to him. As his father did not agree, Tanny had to stay home.
One might expect that, as for thousands of Malian girls, Tanny would have her first child in 12 months and a new baby each year. But it wasn’t to be.
Tanny’s destiny changed again at seventeen. To fill her time she got involved in a new local initiative – a savings and loans group.
CARE helped local women start the group as part of a female empowerment programme. What mattered to Tanny was an opportunity to regain a social life, whilst setting aside enough money to think about setting up a small business.
Things went well. She started a vegetable garden. The fruits of her labours improved both the quality of her family’s meals and her household’s income. Tanny became more satisfied and fulfilled, improving her life in small steps.
“I managed to change things”
She did not leave it there. At eighteen, she was elected as President of the support section of the group. While she initially felt too young, others in the group insisted. She now represents 150 people. She uses her position to educate them about the problems posed by early marriage:
“I do whatever I can to fight early marriage. In the network parents are no longer inflicting this on their daughters. Even in my own family I managed to change things. My younger sisters are sixteen and eighteen and are still in school. They will do something with their lives, and things will change inch’allah!” She enthuses.
Old not necessarily good
“I suffered a lot, I learned from my own experience that young girls and their parents do not have enough information... Girls are becoming sterile due to sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancies their bodies are not ready for. Few people make the connection between this and early marriage. Everybody should know this practice, though an old one, is not necessary a good one!”
What next for Tanny? She intends to learn how to use a computer and use the internet to research for her campaign.
“This time we will leave my father in law with his (old fashioned ideas)! My husband wants an educated wife. He understands it is better for everybody if I can continue my studies.”
