ADVICE TO MY FELLOW SISTERS

Elders say regretting does not help at all. You only get back to your senses after getting into trouble and you realize it was not worthy it. One might think she is enjoying life not knowing that she will be digging her own grave. In life one should listen when advice is being given. A person can only lose virginity once. For I say I feel pity for the girl child since they should listen to wise words from wise people, but they say they take advice from their parents only. Those who do not take other people’s advice will face the consequences.

In the end one will be the laughing stock, only because we choose not to listen when advice is given. Most of us girl children believe that, we have to enjoy now because death is inevitable. This is true yes, but in our enjoyment, we lose focus, we run after things that do not help us. Most of us are dropping out of school because of unwanted pregnancies, HIV and Aids, Sexually transmitted diseases and so forth. Most of my friends have gotten new names because of their bad behaviour; some are now being called ‘service girls’, who give sex gratification to some boys on their way from school. It’s a pity my fellow sisters because it is not boys who fall pregnant, it is us girls, so I say to you all, let us be on guard and be focused. Boys are luring some of us into bed and after this, they have nothing to do with us, so guys I say let us stand for what we believe in and what we believe in is a focused life, good behaviour, good health and most of all education. Stop practising premarital sex to avoid contracting HIV and Aids. We know for a fact that in our culture, girls who lose their virginity before they get married suffer most in their marriages because virginity is treasured. It is a symbol of purity, cleanliness and freshness in girls. I say to you all be on the guard, when a fruit is plugged out from the tree it will never stick back to the tree. It is very important to safeguard our lives for a better and brighter future. Thank you

By Abisheilla Muswaka

I DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE OF PREGNANCY

Letters to the editor:

In the year 2007, I was doing form two. Unfortunately I lost both parents. My brother in law requested a second wife from my grandmother whom I lived with. During the school holiday my grandmother sent me to spend the holiday at my brother-in- law’s place. Unknowingly, I was happy to be away from my grandmother since she used to ill treat at times. I did not know that my grandmother and my brother-in-law had already sealed a deal and agreed that I was going to be his second wife. At first my brother- in-law used to buy me everything that I wanted. As we were about to end school holidays my brother- in -law informed me that I was no longer going back to my grandmother’s place, but I was now going to be second wife. I was shocked to receive such bad news. He forced me into having sex with him and I fell pregnant. I was hurt because that was the end of my education. Had I known my brother- in- law’s mission, I would not have accepted to go to his place. It is very difficult to be an orphan probably if my parents were alive this would not have happened to me. All I want is to alert all girls out there through my letter so that they do not fall into the same trap. It is important for girls to know their rights, education is life. Thank you for understanding my problem.

Author in pain

FATHER RAPES HIS OWN DAUGHTER

BY ASHITON CHAWIRA AND SARAH MUSONZA

In a shocking incident that left the Dzandura community in Seke District shell shocked, a middle-aged man, raped his 12 year – old daughter who had been left under his care by her mother who had gone to work at a nearby farm.

One of the villagers who refused to be named for fear of victimisation told the Fokas reporter that because of this incident, the girl who was now in her final year of her primary level, had to drop out of school.

She became a victim of sexual abuse since 2008 up until a few months ago when she fell sick and finally had the guts to report the matter to her mother.

It is believed after raping her almost on a daily basis, the father would threaten her with death if she ever told anybody about the different rape incidences.

‘This man developed a habit of raping his daughter almost everyday. He took advantage since he used to spend more time with the children alone. One day he sent his young daughter to fetch water so that he could rape his daughter without disturbance,” said one of the villagers.

“When she came back, she saw her father coming out of the bedroom followed by her older sister who was looking unhappy and withdrawn,” she added.

She added that when the mother came back from work, her daughter told her that she was very sick and was in pain, but did not divulge the nature of her sickness to her since she was afraid.

“The abused child could no longer contain the pain anymore,” the villager added.

The sick child was then taken to the clinic for treatment by her disturbed mother and the child then reported the sexual abuse by her father to the nurse who attended to her and narrated everything that had transpired.

The nurse discovered that the child had developed sores on her private parts and puss was coming out of them. It is believed the child contracted a sexual transmitted infection as a result of the continued abuse.

The perpetrator was arrested after the case was reported to the police. The parents of the child were unaware when the police arrived at the clinic.

The mother of the child could not contain shock; hence she collapsed when her husband was picked up by the Police.

Some woman who also preferred anonymity said the child suffers some form of mental sickness or instability since the incident. She is withdrawn and does not feel comfortable with mixing and mingling with her age mates or other children.

Mrs. Winnet Manyere, one of the FAMWZ programme front runners in Seke castigated fathers who abuse their children and said stern sentences should be given to such offenders since they are a threat to the community.

“It is every child’s rights to grow up with their parents in a good manner and be protected from diseases especially in light of the deadly HIV and AIDS pandemic,” Manyere said.

THE LIFE OF AN ORPHAN BY LORAH TSINYE

Truly losing parents, Day and night I have no food
At home I have no rest with daily chores
No books, no pens for me to use at school
Even a satchel to carry my books
No school fees for me
When I get to school
I am sent back to collect school fees

When l get home,
Daily chores will be waiting for me,
But no food
Food will be cooked and everybody at home eat except me,
I only wash dishes
If I decide to go and play with other children
They ask me, did you finish all your chores?

I am not educated but I want to be a nurse,
I want to be in the police force, be a teacher or doctor,
But because I have no qualifications, I am not educated
This will remain a pipe dream for me
My life is astray, my life is meaningless
All they tell me is to forget about a profession and be married for them to get a bride price
Truly I have no rest
Is this the meaning of being an orphan?