Citizen TV anchor Victoria Rubadiri became a mother at the age of 18 years, and she had it rough back then as she was considered a disappointment to so many.
Her father is a pastor and a religious leader. Victoria says she fought for a long time with embracing the identity of being a mother because she felt she wasn’t ready.
"Truth is, you are never going to be ready," she said.
Because she gave birth at a young age, this came with a lot of titles and opinions about her situation.
Speaking on Double X Agenda, she spoke on the one thing she needed to let go from the get-go: the title ‘young single mum’.
“In terms of thinking what I had to give up, a lot of times the first thing that jumps to someone’s mind could be a thing or a lifestyle, my social life," she said.
"For me, because I got pregnant young, I fell into the stereotypical definition of a young single mum. For me, what I had to let go of what was that tag of a typical single mum. And let go of it not only from society but for me.
"I made a conscious decision early on that I will not be that and the choice I would make to who I am now basically determined that.”
She wasn’t going to let being a young and single mother define her, her daughter, Neema and her future. She wanted to grow out of that title."
She said that decision has made her who she is and helped her heal. "I can look back at that moment and feel nothing in terms of guilt and condemnation," she said.
One thing she appreciates is the support of her parents during the journey of parenthood, contrary to what she expected would be a tough journey.
