THE PLIGHT OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN 'DESERTED' BY THEIR FATHERS IN DAR

The procession of women to the Office of the Regional Commissioner of Dar es salaam last week dominated the Newsrooms of a number of media in Tanzania. The social media were not left behind. They were extremely busy immediately reporting whatever came across them. As in social media every smartphone owner becomes a reporter, exaggerations could not be avoided as editing is not important.  Pictures of women in a procession and video clips of some of them lamenting and cursing their former partners in 'crimes' who were alleged to have ceased to perform their responsibilities were most shared. Those that portrayed pictures of children who were said to be a result of love affairs with some prominent figures in the country flooded the social media. Interesting, there were some ladies who seemed to have misunderstood the exercise-which by all means had seemingly targeted children ( probably below 18 years). These ladies claiming to have been deserted by their fathers- mostly prominent figures, left unanswered questions as to whether they qualified for the exercise. This is because unlike other women who had paraded with their children before the RC Office, these ladies presented themselves without their mothers. Some people were quick to dispute their allegations claiming that they were being used politically. Indeed there is one lady who claimed her child has been deserted by her lover (a political figure ) later on declared that her allegations were not true and that there were some people behind her previous allegations.  The question is ' how many women had undergone similar experience?'

There were those who were disputing the entire exercise that it had no legal authority as there are appropriate institutions to handle such matters. Some associated the matter with violation of the rights of children given the pictures of these minors which were being circulated widely. This matter was also raised by the Deputy Minister of Health who insisted on the need for the media to observe the rights of children while reporting the matter. Another interesting part of this issues was the video clips of married women (Legal Wives) who did not sympathise with the single parents who had paraded at the RC's office claiming that those women deserved such treated because they knew that the men they were dating were married hence they were reaping what they sow. These women showed no remorse for the women whom they called thieves who have been stealing their husbands. 

Despite of all that happened the lesson that every responsible parent should take is that  whether it was planned or unplanned pregnancy, the child should not be punished. All parents should ensure that the wellbeing of their children are enhanced to the admirable levels. One should not wait for some institutions to remind them of their responsibilities to raise their childrenim as this sounds absurd and embarrassing. LETS BE RESPONSIBLE PARENTS

BEING DIFFERENT IS A BLESSING AND NOT A CURSE

Albinism is viewed as a curse in most African societies and as such in some societies women are told to spat saliva whenever they encounter a person with albinism in order to avoid giving birth to children with albinism. Undoubtedly, persons with albinism are seen as aliens in most of our societies. Some even see them as possessing supernatural powers that can be used to bring fortune to people hence making them rich, or get minerals or gemstone if they are engaged in mining activities. Unfortunately parts of their bodies have to be chopped off in order to get bones that are then used to make the potions. This evil belief has claimed a number of  lives of innocent people as many end up being killed in the process of chopping their body parts. A number of campaigns and demonstrations have been carried to fight against such evil and inhumane acts but still the acts keep on recurring. This shows how deep the ill belief has penetrated in our societies. However, this should not discourage us but energize us to do more and more. The Story below from the Daily mail about the Mexican model who has albinism if shared countrywide can assist in changing the mind-sets of our societies on albinism. Will make our societies to see them as normal persons who have feelings, talents and what have you. 

Albino Mexican model challenges beauty standards by embracing her pale skin and silver hair in a series of stunning photos

An albino woman from Mexico who grew up being teased and bullied for her incredibly light skin and hair has finally learned to embrace her beauty — and has made it her mission to get others to see it, too. Ruby Vizcarra had a rough time with the way she looked while growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico. The kids at school didn't understand her condition — and really, she didn't know a whole lot about it either.

But now she has made herself the local poster child for albinism, and that poster is a pretty glamorous one. Profiled by Yahoo, the 24-year-old is pursuing a career as a model, and is showing off rather than covering up what makes her different.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5218271/Albino-Mexican-model-Ruby-Vizcarra-embraces-differences.html#ixzz52cpUlkbP

REFUSING TO BECOME A BEGGAR

THE MALAWIAN HYENA FINALLY SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN JAIL!!

An HIV-positive Malawian man who said he slept with at least 100 girls and women in traditional cleansing rituals has been sentenced to two years in jail and hard labour after being convicted of 'engaging in harmful practices'.Eric Aniva was prosecuted on the orders of President Peter Mutharika after publicly speaking about his role as a 'hyena' in a BBC documentary.

Custom in some parts of southern Malawi demands that a man, known as a 'hyena', is paid to have sex with bereaved widows to exorcise evil spirits and to prevent other deaths occurring.At the request of a girl's parents, the 'hyena' is also paid to have sex with adolescent girls to mark their passage to womanhood after their first menstruation
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3960508/Malawi-hyena-man-faces-sentencing-sex-ritual.html#ixzz4QlBR1wpv
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THE MALAWIAN "HYENA" FINALLY ARRESTED

•   Eric Aniva claims he has had sex with more than 100 adolescent girls
•   He said he was paid between $4 and $7 by the girls' families for his service
•   Aniva admitted he continued his 'cleansing' service despite having HIV
•   He faces life in prison after admitting having sex with girls as young as 12 

Malawi police have arrested an HIV-infected man who was paid to have sex with more than 100 adolescent girls as part of a traditional ritual marking their passage to womanhood, officials said Tuesday. Eric Aniva, from the southern district of Nsanje, was held after giving a media interview confessing to have slept with the girls for a fee of between four and seven dollars, paid by each of their families.The little-known local practice lasts three days and is performed in southern Malawi by men known as 'hyenas' at the request of a girl's parents after her first menstruation.

The ritual is believed to train girls to become good wives and to protect them from disease or misfortune that could fall on their families or their village.District Commissioner Gift Lapozo said: 'Aniva was arrested on Monday after he was summoned to my office. 'Aniva should 'be investigated for exposing the young girls to contracting HIV and further be charged accordingly,' Mutharika added. 'Harmful cultural and traditional practices cannot be accepted.'

The sexual cleansing ritual is also performed on bereaved widows in Nsanje district to exorcise villages of evil spirits or to prevent another death occurring. Aniva, who has two wives and was reported to be in his 40s, said a 'hyena' was selected by the community based on good morals and that custom did not allow him to use condoms. One girl told the BBC: 'There was nothing else I could have done.'I had to do it for the sake of my parents. If I'd refused, my family members could be attacked with diseases -- even death -- so I was scared.'

Malawi, which has one of the highest HIV infections in the world, criminalises sex with a person under the age of 16.If found guilty of underage sex, Aniva could be imprisoned for life.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3709033/Malawi-police-arrested-HIV-infected-man-known-hyena-paid-sex-100-adolescent-girls-traditional-ritual-marking-passage-womanhood.html#ixzz4FaCzEV3l

My take: Its sad that in this era some people continue to cling to such uncouth and harmful traditions. Does this outdated tradition need some Vasco Da Gama  to unfold the danger embedded in it? Its only a matter of allowing common sense to prevail. For instance, the OKUSOMBOKA (kutakasa) practice that is still practiced among Kerewe people in Tanzania, where a widow is forced to have sexual intercourse with a hired man without wearing condoms in order to be "cleansed", do we still need the Messiah to make those people come to their senses? http://www.vitukovyamtaani.com/2013/08/ubakaji-wa-wajane-ni-ubakaji.html

PAID TO HAVE SEX WITH CHILDREN AND WIDOWS

Aniva , the famous "hyena"with a root which he grinds up and adds to water to drink before sex

In some remote southern regions of Malawi, it's traditional for girls to be made to have sex with a paid sex worker known as a "hyena" once they reach puberty. The act is not seen by village elders as rape, but as a form of ritual "cleansing". However, as Ed Butler reports, it has the potential to be the opposite of cleansing - a way of spreading disease.
Aniva is by all accounts the pre-eminent "hyena" in this village. It's a traditional title given to a man hired by communities in several remote parts of southern Malawi to provide what's called sexual "cleansing". If a man dies, for example, his wife is required by tradition to sleep with Aniva before she can bury him. If a woman has an abortion, again sexual cleansing is required.
......And most shockingly, here in Nsanje, teenage girls, after their first menstruation, are made to have sex over a three-day period, to mark their passage from childhood to womanhood. If the girls refuse, it's believed, disease or some fatal misfortune could befall their families or the village as a whole.
"Most of those I have slept with are girls, school-going girls," Aniva tells me. Some girls are just 12 or 13 years old, but I prefer them older. All these girls find pleasure in having me as their hyena. They actually are proud and tell other people that this man is a real man, he knows how to please a woman.".....
It's clear, given the hyena's duties, that HIV is a huge risk to the community. The UN estimates that one in 10 of all Malawians carry the virus, so I ask Aniva if he is HIV-positive. He astounds me by saying that he is - and that he doesn't mention this to a girl's parents when they hire him.

A story by :Ed Butler BBC News, Malawi
For more information: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36843769

'FREE THE NIPPLE CAMPAIGN'

Hundreds of men and women gathered topless on Brighton beach for the 'Free the Nipple' campaign to make the sight or breasts more normal. Two hundred women and men paraded topless around Brighton Beach at the weekend to highlight controversial social media policies about banning female nipples. The Sunday afternoon march started from Brighton Pier, and then headed along the East Sussex city seafront before stopping on the beach - where everybody sunbathed topless. I am skeptical of the approach being used to 'normalize' what is currently classified as nudity within the society. Undoubtedly, this campaign tries to address 'mistakes' that did take place in our evolution process. The big question is   IS IT PROPER TO BULLDOZE THE SOCIETY TO NORMALISE WOMEN NIPPLES GOING PUBCLIC? What if we left 'evolution' to take its course?  I believe the way we evolve in our culture-dressing, eating, perceptions-will determine whether nipples goes public or not. The Amazon people, the Bushmen and the like all go topless without any worry, do we envy their lifestyle? Is accepting women going topless the only thing we like to copy from them?