18/08/11

Today I was talking to four of my REDES girls who showed up early to our meeting. I found out that one of my girls lives completely by herself. She is 15 years old! This is not too that strange, many students commute to our community to attend school from out in the bush where they live. But often they live with aunts and uncles or some sort of other extended family. But I learned that she lives alone and doesn’t have any neighbors who live very close. The thought just terrifies me. Apparently last year she lived with her brother, but he doesn’t study anymore, so he’s back at home with their dad (their mother passed away). Then I found out that she has 5 older brothers who don’t have jobs, but live at home. I asked why none of them come to live with her in the town, since it would be easier for them to find employment here anyway. She said they can’t. I couldn’t get a reason out of her, I think they just can’t be bothered. It makes my blood boil. What kind of brother leaves his younger sister to live alone and probably be raped? Maybe not forcefully, but eventually people will find out that she is alone there and start paying her visits, and what can a 15 year old say to a man who comes to her house when she is alone? And the three other girls, two sisters and a cousin, live with their three older sisters. Just the six of them girls in a house where the oldest is 19 years old.