DEFILED BY A HEN HANDLER

The girl went home from school as usual. This is my learner in grade five. At her tender age, she is an out=going girl. She loves interacting with others. Ever jovial. 

On this fateful day, hope she won't remember it all her life, her guardian, a grandmother who was inherited or got married to her grandfather after the death of the real grandmother, send her in search of a hen. The hen purported to have entered this man's house, who happens to be their neighbour. The girl, as obedient as she is, matches towards the neighbour's premise as instructed. When the step=grandmother sees the girl leave the compound, she also leaves to her errands God-knows-what-they-are. 

My good pupil enters this man's compound and asks if he had seen their hen. The man, without mincing words, tells the girl to enter the house and search if it is among his. The girl, without knowledge of the doomed plan perhaps, enters the house, searches for the hen to no avail. On successfully concluding the hen is not in the man's house she decides to leave. Alas! To her surprise, she finds the door locked! Inside, she has this man for accompaniment. What!?

A mixture of reactions passes through her mind but being young and timid, without life skills for defence in such situations, she is threatened with death if she tries to raise alarm. The man defiles the girl for three days running...from Friday to Sunday!

On Sunday evening, the man lets her go back to the so-called grandmother. She sleeps the night and since she loves education, arises very early on the following day to come to school. Our guiding and counselling teacher observes the girl and notices unique character which she bears not usually. On close and motherly inquiry, the girl opens up to her of the above ordeal she went through.

We organize for her to be treated at a nearby health centre. The doctor writes a report and the report is taken to the police for necessary actions to be taken. The man is arrested and is still in custody. To our surprise, everybody including the immediate family members withdraw from helping the girl access her rights. I mobilize my colleagues and raise her voice through us! As I sit to write, our voices bring in World Vision, the Church and the administration to fight for the girl's justice. World Vision is taking care of her treatment as the girl can now barely walk.

Questions linger in our minds today.

Is the step-grandmother involved in this fiasco?

Is the grandfather aware?

As we ponder on the above queries, let us await the unfolding of events.

As a school, we are a voice to the orphans like this girl.