THE UNPLEASANT SIDE OF THE PROMISED LAND

Mary (real name withheld) is a 29-year-old Congolese woman who was once married to an abusive husband who could beat her severely and starve her and her children by not providing food and other necessities to the household for years.

One day Mary was beaten to the extent she collapsed and miscarried a pregnancy by her husband after learning that the husband had multiple sexual partners, when she tried to confront the husband Mary was also beaten and thrown out of the house, she was sleeping in a neighborhood shop leaving her children with the father.

Among the four children Mary had, the firstborn was 16 years of age and he was taking care of his siblings in the absence of the mother. Weeks later the children tipped the mother that their father usually left them alone with no food and no one to look after them. Mary decided to take a move of reporting the issue to authorities in the camp including Plan Malawi Dzaleka GBV offices where she was given counseling to heal from the trauma that came from the experience she had been having with her husband, she was helped and she was able to rescue the children from the husband she now has custody of the children. luckily she was given a peace work to start doing to earn money for her daily bread, this helped her to stand independently and raise her children.

Mary now lives happily with her children in the refugee camp of Dzaleka, she works as a plan volunteer. She is grateful for the support and guidance that was given to her and she says it saved her life. She said “at first I was afraid to voice out what I am going through with my husband, I knew my husband would be angrier once he found out that I have reported him, but after seeing how I was being bruised I knew one day the husband will beat me to death hence gathering the courage of reporting him to authorities in the camp”

Mary equally affirmed that, if not for the support she received, her ex-husband would have threatened her so much that she would return to her abusive partner.” now I share my story with other intimate partner violence survivors and encourage them to seek help”