Community Wahala

Blessing is a small girl of 9. She is thin and afraid. This is what she said about what she went through last year. 

On Saturday my aunty came to see my mother because my mother was not feeling well. I went to stay with my aunty that night at her house not far from my mother. On Sunday morning my aunty woke up early. She said " Blessing you are still sleepy. I am going to your mother now. You can stay sleeping your uncle will make you some tea later and then  You must come  home.

As soon as she went my uncle woke up. He pulled the blanket off me and tried to take off my clothes. I said "No, my uncle do not do that". He told me to keep quiet. He pulled my clothes roughly and spoke horrible words. I was so afraid I could not talk. 

My body feel sick

Its very hard for me to talk about what happened because my body feels sick. I did not know what my uncle was doing. He took his trousers down, pulled my legs and lay on top of me so I could not breathe. I cried for him to stop because he was hurting me very much. I didn't believe my uncle could be so rude and harsh. He kept saying " keep quiet or I will beat you ". 

Another lady who lives next door came to the door if there is something wrong. My refused and said there's nothing wrong, the child is naughty sometimes. She just cries for nothing. The lady went away and he just kept hurting me in my private. Then he turned me on my stomach in the bed, I did have breathe to cry any longer and he hurt me very much at the back. He said he will cut off my head. When he stopped, he said to me " You go and wash". When I washed, there was some blood and I was feeling sick. He said stop crying or I will beat you. You must no tell anyone about this, if you do I will cut off your head and your body into little pieces.  Then he said now go home, here is 50frs which is no up to one dollar to buy sweets. 

When I reach home I lay next to my mother. She said, what's wrong Blessing, why are you crying? I couldn't tell her because I felt too sick and terrify that my uncle will cut off my head and my mother will beat me for what happened. I lied I had headache. I didn't go to school for a whole week. 

It all happened so quick and fast and with this situation, Blessing is traumatised and I see that she needs help otherwise this will not be easy for her in the near future.