Born into heartbreak and humble beginnings, Florence is no stranger to hard and heavy things. From the very first months of life, there has been a chord of grief woven into her story. The unexpected death of her twin sister at three months was a devastating blow—a sister so intimately connected but never got the chance to know. But even despite heartbreaking loss, her parents loved her and worked hard to care for Florence and her brother.
In a rural village in Southern Uganda, Florence was forced to grow up fast. Too fast. While most little girls her age are playing with dolls or dancing and singing with friends, Florence was working around the clock to help her family. As a dedicated fisherman, her father was often gone before dawn and out past dusk to provide what little he could. But with her mother at home unable to find work, there was never quite enough money for food, housing, or school fees. Florence had big dreams for her future, though, and was willing to do whatever it took to help her family get out of the cycle of poverty.
Then, something unexpected happened.
Instead of shouldering the weight of her family’s bleak financial situation, Florence quickly learned she had her own burden to bear. Barely a teenager, and pregnant, she saw all her dreams for a better future crashing down. Shunned by the community and ridiculed to her face, Florence’s shame rose as her self-worth plummeted. Her whole life she had worked to bring pride to her family, but now she brought humiliation and more financial burdens. Florence didn’t know then if that was the end of the story. If her life was over in the same moment a new life had just started.
But it was only the beginning.
With the help of The Hope Venture’s partners, Florence hasn’t had to choose between motherhood and education. Between a future or a family. Through the Scholarships for Teen Moms project, she can have both. With access to a top-tier education, Florence once again has dreams for her future. From her own story of hard and heartbreak, she now has a passion to stand up for the voiceless and victimized. Florence dreams of one day becoming a lawyer, and hopes to stand in the gap against poverty and injustice.
A dream that wouldn’t have been possible without someone standing in the gap for her, and helping her to see the value in herself again.
