Jasmin managed to convince her mother not to marry her off at 13 with help from her CARE youth group. © CAREJasmin, 14, smiles easily when she talks about her future in Bangladesh. "I would like to be a school teacher." she says, "I want to teach English, as that's my best subject. But I like Social Sciences too, so maybe I'll do that instead, or maybe I'll do both."
But only a year ago, when Jasmin was just 13 years old, her young life did not seem so full of hope. Her mother and aunt had decided she should be married.
"It is difficult for my mother because my father has been away working in Kuwait now for five years, earning money to send back home. My older sister is married, but my mother has five, including me, to look after and it is not easy where we live."
Jasmin's mother was worried for her daughter as many of the young men in the village, taking advantage of her husband's absence, had been harassing her. She thought Jasmin would be safer if she could find her a husband they could trust.
"I belong to a group for young people that CARE set up in my village. We learn lots of things about how to improve our lives and, as part of this, we learn about why early marriages are not good. If a girl marries too early and has a baby, there is more chance she or the baby will die. So it is better to wait."
Jasmin was in a difficult situation, but she was brave enough to seek help from CARE's local Project Officer and his team. He came to speak to Jasmin's mother and aunt and was able to persuade them not to go ahead with the planned marriage.
"It was not an easy time, but I am very happy now," concludes Jasmin. "I go to school as normal, I work hard and nobody knows that I am any different to all the other 14-year old girls."
