Kombian walks towards the panel, her head down. She takes her seat and picks up the microphone. The conference room falls silent at her voice. She retells how her mother used to lock her and her siblings in their house to prevent them from leaving, but despite the absence of food to see or smell, her stomach would still growl fiercely.

Poverty and hunger had pushed Kombian’s mother to marry her as a child, but she would not accept it. She left home and walked for three days until she found shelter. Now, at 23, she speaks to girls about the importance of education, their rights and well-being, cautioning them about the perils of child marriage. Continuar leyendo…