Chapter 28: Building Herself
Mary was no longer waiting to be rescued—she was building herself from the ground up.
The weekend scholarship program was unlike anything she'd known. It was held in a simple hall on the edge of town, with cracked walls and wooden benches, but to Mary, it felt like a palace. She sat among students of all backgrounds—some from poor homes like hers, some better off. But here, they were all equal. No one cared about shoes or clothes—only about learning.
She devoured every lesson.
English. Math. Science. Public speaking. Leadership.
Each subject added a new piece to the woman she was becoming. She stayed behind after class to ask questions, took extra notes in the margins of donated books, and volunteered to read aloud whenever possible—even when her voice shook. Every time she spoke, she chipped away at the fear that had once lived inside her.
Her sewing skills also continued to grow. Mr. Tumba began trusting her with full garments—skirts, blouses, even wrappers for small ceremonies. She started earning a bit more and began secretly saving for something no one knew about: her future school fees.
At home, the battles hadn't disappeared, but Mary had changed. She no longer reacted with tears or silence when scolded—she responded with calm. Sometimes, she even stood up for herself.
"I've finished the chores. Now I'm going to class," she said one morning, holding her books firmly.
Her aunt blinked, shocked at her tone. But for once, she said nothing.
That was a victory.
Mary began keeping a new section in her notebook—not just for prayers or pain, but for plans. Real ones. She listed things she wanted to achieve:
✔ Pass her final exams.
✔ Open a small sewing shop.
✔ Apply for teacher training college.
She knew the road ahead would still be tough. But now, she had tools—education, skill, self-worth.
The girl who once sat in the dust, too afraid to speak, was now planting her own foundation. Not just to survive anymore—but to become.
And with every stitch she made, every sentence she wrote, Mary was proving something to the world and to herself:
I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.