My name is Catherine. I'm from Madang.
My family lives in Madang but I live in Port Moresby because I wanted to pursue education opportunities.
I completed my grade 10 at Holy Spirit Secondary in 2017 but I didn’t make it into grade 11. But I really want to continue my formal education and when I found the opportunity to come here to Port Moresby to baby sit for my sister, I took it and came. Due to school fee issues I stayed out of school for two years. I continued to stay with my sister, helping to take care of her children.
In 2019 a good thing happened when sister’s in-laws offered to help pay for my school fees as a token of appreciation for me taking care of their grandchildren.
I finally got enrolled at Caritas Technical Secondary. In 2020 I did my pre-11 studies and I passed. So I was admitted to continue doing Grade 11 this year. But during my Christmas holidays I argued with my sister and so I ran away to stay with my aunt. I wanted to withdraw from my studies and look for work this year because I couldn’t pay my school fees then. But thank God that my aunt agreed to help me and now though late I am happy to start my grade 11 studies. I like Caritas Technical Secondary school because it gives young girls a second chance. I have learnt good virtues like love and respect, self-respect and dignity, humility and other Christian values.
Catherine Zoromota, Vadavada, NCD