DIANAS EXPERIENCE

Diana,17years of age, was brought to the Fortress in her early stages of her pregancy from the slum community. She had run to her step mother's house after she had been abandoned by her Antie with whom she lived. She had dropped out of school too. At her step mother's house, it was a small one roomed house and did not have suffiecient care,did not hve basic needs and  had none of the essential items needed for delivery like Mama Kit,baby cloths etc. She was miserable,emotionally broken.

We took her into the Fortress, has been here all through her pregnancy. We accepted,loved Diana, took her for Antnatal checkups, Couselled her, provided shelter, food and all necessities during pregnancy too.

When it was time for labor,she could not deliver normally becuse her babby was big.Well,the surgeons did a ceserean section succesfully and saved both Diana and baby Jeremiah. She stayed here for another 5 weeks and just before we took her home,last week, this is what she said to us.(She is going to breast feed her baby for a year as we constantly followup on her and Jery and will take her to resume school,excited about it!)

Diana,"The two biggest things that  happened to me during my time at the Fortress were the birth  of my wonderful Jeremiah and secondly that I found Jesus and became a Born-Again Christian while here. I am very thankful that I have learnt to love and fear God, and now always put him first whatever I do.

I have also learned, during my time here, to live with different types of people and to handle my temper. When I came here I was veryangry and stubborn, and I could abuse or even beat people to get what I wanted. Now I have learned how to handle my emotions better. I have also learnt to think about why people behave as they do, I now think more about what is behind the way someone is acting. For example if someone is treating me bad I can think that the person herself has been mistreated before."

"The life with the other girls in the house has been good, I will always remember them. In the beginning there was some trouble with misunderstandings,but when we got to know each other and got used to one another,we got along very well. I will miss them all.

I will never forget my time at the Fortress because of all the things I have learned here. I have learnt  how to make jewelry, how to cook many types of food ,how to care for a big house and many people and how to share things with others. Whenever I do or think of any of those things I will be reminded of my time at the Fortress, and the good time I have had here. Have also learnt to take care of myself and my lovely baby. Am also excited to have an opportunity to go back to school after breastfeeding my Jeremiah. Am happy."