Had I known Is Always At Last

At the tender age of seven, Mary was sent to live with her auntie. Her parents were not well to do and could not look after all their 10 children.

Mary’s auntie did her best to send her to school and provide her basic needs. She paid Mary’s school fees, fed and clothed her.

In school, however, Mary joined a group of indisciplined girls who did everything to get what they wanted. In no time, she became dissatisfied with what her auntie provided her because of the influence of her friends.

She wanted to be like her friends, for which reason she craved for things that were beyond her reach. She began to go out with men, in the hope that they would give her money to meet her numerous wants.

Mary became disrespectful to her auntie. Two of Mary’s classmates, Anita and Sandra, were so concerned about her welfare that they even went to inform her auntie about her behaviour.

Her auntie was very surprised and advised Mary against her bad behaviour but that fell on deaf ears.

In no time, Mary became pregnant, and when her friends saw her, they laughed at her because she was a schoolgirl who was pregnant.

Mary dropped out of school and her auntie also sacked her from her house. Mary was sent to the village to continue her life there. She then came face to face with the problems associated with teenage pregnancy. She had to sell to provide for herself and the unborn baby.

One day, while selling, somebody called her name from a car. When she drew closer, she saw her friend Sandra driving a posh car.

Sandra had completed university and was now a doctor. Mary was very sad and Sandra felt very sorry for her.

But there was nothing she could do for Mary. She handed Mary a few cedi notes and sped off. Mary wept the whole night. She realised the fool she had been and acknowledged that she was the cause of her woes, saying, “Had I known is always at last.”

Mary’s story is visible in many homes in our country and Africa. But a lot can change for girls like Mary if all parents are able to find jobs so that they can care for their children.

Poverty is destroying the lives of many children in Africa so let Africa arise and hear the cries of its children. And children also need to heed advice to be able to build a strong future for themselves through education and hard work.

Every child who is in school now must stay in school and complete his or her education. Those who have dropped out should educate themselves out of school so that they will become literate.

This is because Ghana and Africa need educated children who will become adults to develop our nation and the continent.