Organisation rescues burnt girl
The Centre for Conflict Management and Women Affairs (Cecowda) has come to the rescue of a nine-year-old girl who was allegedly burnt severely by her aunt in Bangwe Township, Blantyre.
The organisation is sheltering the victim and her siblings at Yamikani Children’s Home.
According to the police, the girl’s aunt, Fatima Petulo, a cassava vendor who plies her trade at Limbe Market, allegedly came home on July 16 2012 to find that the girl had cooked nsima for herself and her two siblings, finishing the vegetable servings Petulo had kept for supper. This is said to have infuriated the aunt who allegedly tied the girl’s hands, poured paraffin onto them and using old newspapers set them alight.
Cecowda executive director Caroline Mvalo said her organisation came to know about the girl’s fate from Bangwe Police through the victim support unit after a neighbour reported the matter.
“Our organisation provides help to victims of abuse and when the police told us about the girl, we thought we could help. We have managed to find a place for the girl and her younger sister at Yamikani Children’s Home, a children’s home we work hand- in-hand with,” said Mvalo.
