A Young Woman’s Turn from Shame

Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.
Isaiah 54:4-5.

In Asha's community, there has been an increase in sexual assault, transactional sex, and forced marriages since the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, pregnancy has become the leading cause of girls defaulting on their education, social stigma and shame preventing them from returning to school.

Asha, who became pregnant as she was nearing her graduation, was almost one of these girls. She struggled with shame and depression, feeling incapable of finishing her schooling in an environment that is unwelcoming to women in her situation. But praise be to God that the RiverCross Champions in Asha's community were able to speak into her, becoming her support system and helping her gain the confidence to claim her right to an education despite the stigma she faced. 

Asha is now a member of the RiverCross Kids Club at her school where she leads activities teaching her classmates to stand up to abusers through acting out responses to scenarios that they encounter in their daily lives. The support Asha has received from RiverCross has taught her to know her worth, and she is now teaching others to know the same. 

Asha said, "The reason why RiverCross activities are so imporant to me is that they have helped with challenges in my own life. They've helped me not to be depressed, and to freely interact with others. Because of coming together with others, I've started to have hope again. Hope, that I can start over and start building my future."

*Although the stories we share are true, identifying details have been changed.