#Endchildmarriage –– The Story of a Child Bride in #Chad

My name is Geneviève Vroumdam, I am 12 years old. Three years ago, I was forced into an early marriage.

My older sister was married to a friend of our father’s, an old man who neared his 70th birthday. She was only 15. One day, she just took off. She could no longer take this loveless marriage. She ran far away from us, from our village, and married a young man of her own choosing.

When a bride leaves, however, it is tradition for the family to return her dowry. And what a large dowry it was! My dad owed them seven cows. Of course, he could not afford such a sum, at least not right away.

The World We Want: End Child Marriage

Every year, approximately 14 million girls are married before they turn 18, robbed of their rights to education, health and a life free of violence. Child marriage undermines our efforts to build a healthier, safer, just and more prosperous world for all. Child marriage isn't just a problem for girls, it's a problem to the world.

We can #Endchildmarriage but we need your support! Change will happen if we demand governments to declare the minimum age for marriage. Join the movement to #Endchildmarriage. Please visit our blog http://ayodejiosowobi.blogspot.com to see more of our work.