By Jurugo Emmanuel Ogasto
A woman in Pagirinya refugee camp, identified as Morio Gloria, has spoken out in pain after her husband allegedly forcefully took 290,000 Ugandan shillings meant for their child’s school fees and used the money to pay what he called an “Arsenal contribution.”
Speaking to No. 1 Citizen Newspaper on Sunday afternoon, Gloria narrated the emotional ordeal, saying the money was the only hope she had for their five-year-old child to return to school when classes resume on Monday, May 26.
According to Gloria, she painfully raised the money through burning charcoal and doing other hard labour, determined to secure a better future for her child despite the family’s financial struggles.
“I suffered a lot to get that money,” she said emotionally. “I burnt charcoal every day so my child would not miss school. That was the only money we had.”
She explained that the incident happened late Saturday night when her husband allegedly took the money from where it had been kept without her knowledge. Gloria said she only discovered the money was missing later and immediately confronted him.
“When I asked him where the money had gone, he told me he had paid for Arsenal’s contribution,” she revealed.
The devastated mother further alleged that her husband threatened her with violence after she questioned his actions.
“He warned me not to speak out and said he is the man of the house. He threatened to beat me if I continued asking him about the money,” Gloria told No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper.
For fear of her safety and possible retaliation, Gloria refused to reveal her husband’s identity publicly.
Now stranded and uncertain about her child’s future, Gloria says she does not know where she will get another 290,000 shillings before schools reopen.
“I don’t know what will happen to my child on Monday,” she said while holding back tears. “Schools are opening, yet we have nothing left. My child is innocent and deserves education like other children.”
The distraught mother appealed to community leaders, family members, and relevant stakeholders to intervene and advise her husband on the importance of prioritising family responsibilities over football-related commitments.
She also called upon men to protect and support their families instead of making decisions that negatively affect children’s education and welfare.
“This child’s future is more important than football,” Gloria said. “I only want my child to study and have a better life.”
The incident happened in Pagirinya Refugee Settlement in Adjumani District and has since sparked concern among residents, with many urging parents to handle family matters responsibly and peacefully for the sake of their children’s future.