The Less Advantaged

Chapter 1 Episode I (Mary's life)

Mary started school late, aged eight years because her father , Joseph, was not keen on taking her to school . Her mother, Alice, played a big role in convincing her father that a little education did no harm. By this time, she was thirteen years old. She was a last born in a family of four: two girls and two boys.Her brothers had finished their secondary education and proceeded to tertiary education and were now working in the city.Mary's sister, Joan, got married at the tender age of eleven years old. From the time Joan got married, Mary never saw her happy but Joan never complained.Mary studied at Malokos Primary School located in Lumakayoko Village.

The journey to and from school took one hour each way.At three hours past midday, the lower classes were released while the rest of the school stayed until 4.30p.m.She picked her books from the floor. They sat on tree trunks for they did not have desks or seats.Two of the classroom's walls had gaping holes.The roof of the classroom was no more than thatch grass that was laid over rafters.I wouldn't call it a classroom really but a shack.On this particular day, Faith's book was missing and Mary found her searching for it frantically.Then she found one of their classmate under a tree copying notes from it.Without uttering a single word, she forcefully snatched the book from him and after glaring at him menacingly, she waved at Mary to join her and they left for home.This caught the boy by surprise and he was left staring at them.