My name is Needy and I am 12 years old. My first memories began at the age of four where I saw how my father hit my mother and she did not defend herself, one day he hit her too much, leaving a scar. At the age of six I was in kindergarten, one day they brought me home from school because my father had died, my uncle had killed him, his body was found in a ravine, his body was badly beaten, they cut off his ears, his head and stomach. My mother went to leave us with my uncles, telling us that she was going to return. Since that day, we haven’t heard from her.
After a year, my uncles helped us with our studies. At first, I thought that my uncles would love us, but it was the opposite. My cousins beat me, I went to complain to my uncles, but they never believed me, they told me that I was a liar. They told my brother the same thing. They sent us to the fields to look for cardamom, we didn’t complain because they helped us with our studies. My aunt sent me to roast, sweep, wash clothes and dishes while my cousins did nothing. The years went by and it was the same, they beat us, they scolded us. We cried a lot, my brother told me that one day we were going to get ahead. My brother was only able to study sixth grade, my aunt has a stomach disease, but thank God she helped me, one day we heard on the radio an advertisement for a school called “villa de los niños” that helped girls who had wanted to continue studying. I took the exam and I won it. I was very happy because I could continue because my aunt’s plan was to work with her at home.
I thank God for the opportunity and also the Sisters of Mary. I sincerely feel very happy to be here. My greatest desire is to finish my five years and my dream is to become a doctor to help the poor.