"SAD" by Head Teacher Charles Okello
Performed by KOCH LII PRIMARY SCHOOL GIRLS
1. I didn’t like it.
I wasn’t ready for it.
I was forced to do it.
Was forced to drop school.
My daddy liked it.
He made a decision.
A horrific one!
To marry me to a man.
Fit to be my Grand-dad.
My tears couldn’t save me!
And against my will.
I became a mother.
2. My performance at school.
Never was good.
Not because I was a fool.
And that I’m not cool.
But because of the poor meals
Provided by my parents
I went to school hungry
Stayed in school hungry
My brain always hungry
And couldn’t concentrate.
I started dodging lessons
This leading to my weakness.
3. We are poorly fed
On meals rarely changed
The meals hardly balanced
Plain Cassava boiled
With neither proteins or vitamins
Growth becomes stunted
The Brain is retarded
And parents start barking
You are dull
You are stupid
You eat too much
Go and marry
Bring us money! Eh!
4. Marry at thirteen
Produced at fourteen
Produce a baby weak
We both poorly fed
Sick and malnourished
With Marasmus and Kwashiorkor
The brain can’t develop
And I wither like a plant.
5. I am not an adult child
I am young but only growing
Is gowing a crime? No!
I must eat to grow! Yes!
But parents,
Bombarding us with bitter words
Latin man dong camu yo cawa weng,
Pe ywee, Eh! (This child eats too much all the time without break)
Parents!
That is violence
Is that not your child?
Will you run away from your duty
Protect you children
That is your duty
Wait to marry them off
When they are ripe in future . . .
6. Ha! At School!
Life is a horror
The teachers, imagine!
Wipened by work
They roar like lions
For failing one number
Down for the canes
One, Two for talking in class
Three, Four wake up from sleep
Roll on your knees –sh!
Eh! Teachers!
Do we children have rights?
We ask … Do we?...
7. Hm! On many occasions situation worsens
A girl at school is ruined by her teacher
Who is supposed to teach her?
Teachers! Teachers!
Running for my innocent body
With this innocent beauty
I didn’t choose to look like this.
To land me into problems
I rebuke this spirit in the name of Lord Jesus
8. Parents, teachers, community and all
Style Up! We need your care
So treat us with fairness
In modern world, no violence
For digital generation, no vengeance
And any form of violence on children
Guidance and Counseling is the modern fashion
For the modern generation.
9. A message to children
A message to the children out there
Note this: You go for love
You get pregnant
School Drop-Out!
Take Note: You drop from school
You drop your career
You are a failure
Remember this – With discipline
You finish school
You fly like an Angel
From a mere zero to a real hero!
10. Oh! Yes, the good news is here
Poor nutrition and child marriage no more!
One, Two, Three addition (Yes)
Division, Subtraction and Multiplication
You See?
Doctors, Teachers, and Leaders are here!
Yes, a radical change
For our country Uganda
Achieving the vision
Vision 2040.