My name is Rebecca Atieno, and I was born and raised in Busia County, near the Malaba border. From as far back as I can remember, I knew I was different in my parents’ eyes. I was not abused openly, but I was never loved equally. My younger brothers were celebrated, praised, and protected. I was tolerated. As a child, I used to wonder what I had done wrong to deserve the cold looks, the harsh words, and the constant feeling that I did not belong in my own home.
Growing up, my parents, Samuel and Eunice Atieno, made it clear—sometimes directly, sometimes silently—that I was a burden. When food was little, I was the one asked to eat less. When school fees were short, I stayed home. I wore torn uniforms while my brothers wore new ones. Any mistake I made was punished harshly, but my brothers’ mistakes were excused. Neighbors noticed it, teachers noticed it, but no one intervened. I learned early to survive by staying quiet.…CONTINUE READING
