By Mabinty M. Kamara
Mariatu 13, (not her real name), is a Sierra Leonean who lived with foster parents in Freetown and hoped for a better life through education. She was living together with two biological children of her caregivers, a boy and a girl of the same age.
Mariatu’s Aunt would later secure enrolment into a nursing course in the provinces where she temporarily relocated leaving the girl and the other kids in the care of the husband. She would pay weekend visits depending on the situation with her coursework.













