Good News from Bangladesh — Morsheda Monologue

This monologue has been created for use in worship.  It is adapted from a Christian Aid UK resource.

Greetings.
I am Morsheda [Mor-shay-dah], from Bangladesh. Thank you for welcoming me and listening to my story about life in Bangladesh today, and how you help bring peace to the lives of young girls and their families.

You may have heard of childhood brides? Girls getting married at an early age is common here in Bangladesh.  Some are as young as 13 years old and it harms girls a lot. Actually, Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world! Once married, no matter how young, a girl has to take on the domestic duties of a wife and soon becomes a mother. They cannot continue to study. It is a huge loss.

I was one of the lucky ones, if you can call it that. My father died, but my mother was able to pay my school fees, and she did not marry me off. But then I had to drop out of school when she could no longer afford the fees. I thought I would have to get married then. Once again, I was lucky, or perhaps blessed. Thanks to assistance from a partner of Commitment for Life* and Christian Aid, I got another chance, before I was married. I joined a programme that helps young girls learn skills and return to school.

I now run a small clothing business! It’s amazing! I’m back in school and have already completed my Intermediate exam, equivalent to your GCSE, I think. I look forward to my studies, and one day getting married as an adult. Thank you for your confidence in me. I look forward to being able to help other girls avoid childhood marriage by continuing in school and learning business skills.

Thank you to Commitment for Life and United Reformed Churches in Great Britain. You believed in me, supported me, and enabled me to help myself. Please accept my deepest gratitude for remembering and caring for myself and for all the girls of Bangladesh. May God bless you all.

*Commitment for Life is a global partnership programme of the United Reformed Church in Great Britain.

Photo: please credit Christian Aid.