UMU'S STORY
Umu Marah is 30 years old and has successfully completed a Diploma of Law at Makeni University and a Law degree at Sierra Leone law school and has been formally admitted to the bar.
Umu wishes to further her studies in the form of a PhD at Auckland University.
Umu’s PhD is simply titled 'Women in Conflict’. However there is nothing simple in Umu’s objective to create international legislative change and influence within this realm. Umu’s goal is to provide a voice, legal rights and recourse for future generations of women and young girls trapped by war.
Umu celebrating her graduation back in the village.
When Umu was five years old her village in Northern Sierra Leone was attacked by Revolutionary United Front rebels (RUF). Umu’s father tried to appease the marauders with offerings of food. He was hacked down and brutally murdered in front of her. Umu was taken hostage and led into the jungle by the rebels where she would spend the next four years on the run often under attack being used as enforced labour, a sex slave and eventually as a child soldier.
Umu bore witness, endured and survived some of the most horrific and barbaric acts of inhumanity. The worst things that can happen to a young enslaved girl happened to Umu. "I was six years old when they raped me and took my virginity" Umu.
Umu and her fellow captives were drugged to pacify, control and when required embolden them.
There were no rules, no escape and no consequences. Violence, murder and rape were the norm.
By the time Umu was nine years old she had been trained to use a gun. Umu faced her first battle and was forced to kill. The rebels told her if she did not shoot she would be shot. Umu fired. Taking a man’s life horrified and shocked Umu, she dropped her gun and ran. The rebels caught her, cut her, tied her to a tree and left her to die.
Bleeding, alone and dying Umu prayed. A snake appeared from the undergrowth, as it rose up to strike her a dog bounded out of the bush, attacked and killed it. In Umu’s words “By the grace of God I was then able to free myself”. The dog had a make-shift leash around its neck, with this she was led by the dog from the depths of the jungle to a near by village where a kindly older woman took her in and bathed and cared to her wounds.
That night another band of rebels attacked, amidst the carnage and massacre that ensued Umu heard a child’s screams from a burning hut. Umu braved the flames, rescued the child and ran with the child in arms and the dog at her heels into the darkness.
On assignment for ChildFund Phill went to Sierra Leone to document and raise funds for the forgotten girls of the civil war, thats when he met Umu. He was also producing current affairs for TV3’s 60 Minutes programme at the time and used the show to share her story.
Umu does not know her actual birthdate or age however when she was about nine or ten years old having escaped the rebels she literally had no voice. Umu had seen and endured too much and was struck dumb. With the young child ( Little Umu ) and the dog ( Rocky ) Umu began her pilgrimage home.
Umu with 'Little Umu' and Rocky
The trio survived from the generosity of villagers en-route back to Umu’s village. The journey home would take them the best part of a year. When they finally arrived back at Umu’s village the people there ran in fear, scared that perhaps this ‘rebel girl’ was possessed by evil spirits and had come to attack them. The villagers threw stones and beat Umu forcing her to flee back to the jungle where she remained before finding the courage to return. In the dark of night she found her way to her Aunty's hut, who welcomed her and her companions in. Umu’s Aunty informed her that her Mother had also been killed in the war.
Aunty slowly and gently reintegrated Umu back into the community, and saved enough money to enrol her in school. Umu had still not spoken a word. The first time she spoke was to shout at a group of children bullying a young boy.
Phill met Umu when she was about sixteen years old, to that day she had never spoken of her experiences or told her story to anyone, not even to Aunty. Amongst the many young women gathered to meet Phill for filming, Umu stood out from the crowd. She was striking and emanated an incredible source of power.
Umu and village girls meet with Shamans for re enacting of cleansing ceremony, to rid them of evil and enable re-entry to the village.
Phill asked to interview Umu. The village leaders dissuaded him saying they had already chosen the young women to speak. Phill persevered and Umu was asked if she was prepared to tell her story to the white man with the camera. Umu had walked ten kilometres that morning to be here, and replied “Yes…I want to tell my story” that decision changed both of their lives. After recording her story Phill went back to Aunty’s house in the village where he met and filmed Aunty, little Umu and Rocky the dog. As he departed, he broke with protocol and left Umu his business card.
Umu’s story only became more incredible over time. (She wrote to Phill in March 2016 ( Edited) )
"The situation for women in my country is deplorable. Women are still abandoned and they are crying for justice... In my country women and children are denied access to education, are the victims of child labor, rape, torture, trafficking and enforced early marriage.
I want to study law in order to fight for the rights of vulnerable women and children.
All I need is courage to accomplish my dream..."
Phill promised to help her.
Phill set up The Umu Foundation and raised funds in support of Umu. Umu did not want hand-outs, she wanted to generate her own income. Further donations enabled her to purchase two motorbike taxi’s. Umu manages the small business and with the profits has mostly been able to support herself and her wider family.
Little Umu now has had a child of her own, Paulina is seven years old. Rocky the dog has passed away and Aunty still resides in the village at Kabbala.
Graduating as a lawyer, Umu is the first woman in her family, the first woman in her village and the first woman in her region to acquire a tertiary qualification. Umu has no intention of resting on her laurels and has set her sights firmly on Auckland University as the best place to support and launch the next stage of her work which will also include advocating for the cessation of female circumcision. (FGM)
Umu does not just want to research, compile and complete a PhD for the intellectual sake of it, she wants it to become a stepping stone to creating real change in international law with regard to protecting women in war and conflict zones.
Umu is not alone. ChildFund NZ and Karma Cola are also supporters and advocates of and for Umu and her cause and will assist where possible including with enabling various speaking engagements that Umu will address here, Australia and further afield in the knowledge that Umu’s voice is a rare voice, a strong voice and a voice that will resonate on the biggest of international platforms for the greatest of outcomes.
Umu at law graduation dinner.
Umu can never forget the time she was held captive or the loss she has suffered however she has she says, forgiven.
Umu has survived a living hell, she has never given up and continues to fight, not just for herself but for every woman.
With your help Umu will continue to flourish as she strives to become an international voice for women in conflict.
Any and every donation big or small is greatly appreciated and truly does make a difference.