A Mother at 13, Amina Is Back in School in Uganda and Training Her Sights on Nursing

Amina, not her real name, became pregnant at 13 while preparing for her primary school leaving exams in Uganda. Now 17, she is back in school as a Senior Two student at Yumbe Secondary School in the West Nile region, with support from a program that pays girls a small cash allowance and provides mentoring, UNICEF Uganda reported.

She sat her exams after giving birth

After she became pregnant, her father sent her away and she lived with an aunt for two years. She went back to school as a day student a week after giving birth and passed her exams, but with little support she later took a job in a restaurant. A friend told her about the Gender for Development Uganda program, funded by the European Union and run with the Ugandan government, UNICEF and other partners.

“The Cash+ money enables me to go to school, become more confident and sit around people.” — Amina, Senior Two student, Yumbe Secondary School

Mentoring rebuilt her confidence

The Cash+ support, 264,000 Ugandan shillings or about $68, helps cover the costs of staying in school, so she is no longer sent home over unpaid fees. Mentoring has helped her feel confident in class; a classmate now helps her revise biology. According to senior woman teacher Ketty Sabucia, 111 girls at the school have enrolled in the program since 2025.

Amina, who is raising a four-year-old son, now wants to become an enrolled nurse. “I want to study hard and become an enrolled nurse, not only to take care of my son but also reach deep in the villages and help other girls,” she said. Her message to other young mothers: “Focus on the future.”