My name is William Jones. I am a boy of 19 years old. I am in the second year of Kiwangwa secondary school.
I was born in the Mara region in a village called Kyabakari, in Musoma district. There I lived with my grandparents. They explained to me that my father died when I was still a baby and that my mother married another man when I was three years old, and that she left me with my grandparents. They decided to bring me to my aunt to live with her, and I lived here until I was nine. I never went to school since there was no money. At that time you still had to pay to go to primary school.
My aunt decided to send me to a group of children who can read so that I would learn how to read. I joined them for two years and then I decided to leave my aunt’s place and go to Mwanza. There I lived on the streets for two years without any result, and so I decided to go to Dar es Salaam. I was 13 at the time. I arrived in Dar in 1993, lived on the streets for one year, while I searched for a place to get an education and other basic needs. I met a young woman who lved in Kigogo, who wanted to help me. So I got food and a place to sleep. One day this woman wanted sexual favours from me so I was forced to leave because I did not agree with this.
In 1997 I returned to the streets once again and lived there for four years until in 2001 I met Duncan. Luckily, he told me he would take me to a place in Bgamoyo, because in Dar es Salaam he did not have a centre for street kids.
I came to Bagamoyo in 2002 and was send to fifth grade of primary chool. Because of my age, I couldn’t start in the first grade. I tried the best I could and in 2004 I finished seventh grade. I passed the exams to go to secondary school in 2005. This was when the centre in Bagamoyo was run by mama Vicky. Duncan was having some problems so he was no longer with us. At this moment I am starting the second year of secondary school, but new problems seem to arise.
I know that this is how life is, and I am certain that I will succeed.
I thank God for everything
William Jonas
