War Against Child Prostitution in Malawi

Honorable Patricia Kaliati

Even though it has taken over 3 months for Ovaha's Hut to write about it, Now we have come of the ground to let the world know about the fight against child prostitution in Malawi.
We believe that a good story does not rot regardless of how long it might take.

As Ovaha's Hut we are here to applaud and pray for more strength after strength to Minister of Gender, Disability, Women and Social Warfare, Honorable Patricia Annie Kaliati for what she did in April.

Kaliati raided the two clubs, Jacalanda Bar and Jax Club with the help of Nkando police.

During the operation, two girls under the age of 16, dressed for the day’s business, were rescued.

“I cannot be such a hypocrite to go as far as Ntcheu and anywhere else to close sex havens and brothels where minors are being exploited when the same is happening on my door steps. We must join hands to end this evil,” said Kaliati.

The owner of the bars was nowhere to be seen, but the bartender, who identified himself as Alex, explained that the underage girls come voluntarily more especially during the market days of Tuesdays and Saturdays. He said that, with the presence of the girls, men usually flock in for the minors and that they have proven to be a powerful magnet on the particular business. 

In an interview, one of the exploited minors aged 14 (name withheld) said it was because of poverty that she had traveled all the way from her home of Thabwa in Chikhwawa to do prostitution at Nkando after her friends back home had informed her that there was hot business at Nkando.

She elaborated: “I have been around for almost a week and I have already made about K 7, 000 after having sex with 7 men. I only accept sex using a condom. I normally avoid huge men but prefer slim ones.” After rescuing the girls, the Minister has since provided them with transport back to their respective homes.

4 months ago, the Minister had closed Mama Shabeen in Ntcheu for engaged minors in a brothel.

Reported by Malawi network.

We have seen and hear what the minister has done, now its our duty as a community, village or country to provide another new life to the girls who have been rescued. It begins with you, lets make our communities a best place to live for all.

A missionary with a Vision- John Cashman

Dr John Cashman with his lovely family

Many people in life they respond to their callings with a very different aspects, As Ovaha's Hut we really appreciate the life of Dr. John Cashman who was working with Beit Cure Hospital in Malawi. Blantyre.
Regardless of all his duties at the hospital he took his time making sure that Ovaha's Hut is going further and his advices were like a tree planted in the river banks which always produce its fruits in good season. with his love of his family, Ovaha's Hut and the hospital it has made us to call him a missionary with a vision.

This is what John wrote on his facebook wall on 29 May 2015.

Last night in Malawi...... 
Family holding up well, but already missing our friends and sensing the magnitude of the challenge ahead as we will try and adjust to life back in Britain. However we are looking forward to seeing our other family and old friends in the UK and in seeing God's Grace unfold in our lives as we see what he has in stall for us all in the coming months. Rachel has been sharing Jer 29v11 with us tonight. God is good.
Thank you to everyone here in Malawi who has been so kind and supportive with our move. We will miss you all. Sentiment makes us feel that nothing could fill the void in our hearts that will be left by our leaving you and and the daily privilege of joining with our family at CURE to help share God's love and healing with some of the most wonderful and inspiring children and families that one could ever imagine. However we know that God is able to not only heal hurts of our sense of loss, but lead us in his plans and that these are for the good and so we give thanks for his Faithfulness and provision.
with our love to all,
John, Robyn, Hannah, Rachel and Sam.

Having good time.

                                                            

What if Bombs and Guns were the weapons to send back Girls to School?

“The best judge of whether or not a country is going to develop is how it treats its women. If it’s educating girls, if women have equals rights, that country is going to move forward. But if women are oppressed and abused and illiterate, then they’re going to fall behind.” - President Barack Obama

On March 8, 1975, during International Women's Year, the United Nations began celebrating International Women's Day. Two years later, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace. Now celebrated around the world, International Women's Day recognizes and commemorates achievements towards gender equality and women’s empowerment.

On International Women’s Day, USAID is celebrating and advancing the incredible potential of women. Global stability, peace, and prosperity depend on protecting the rights of women and girls around the world. Additionally, research shows that progress in women’s employment, health, and education can lead to greater economic growth and stronger societies. And when women and men are equally empowered as political and social actors, governments are more representative and effective.

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Empowering Women and Girls

To end extreme poverty and promote resilient, democratic societies, we must empower women and girls. Out of the 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty, 70 percent are women and girls. Also,women continue to be underrepresented in government, with only 20 percent of women world wide participating as members of parliament or national government. 

Here is a good example of India.. If you educate a girl in India''' she can lift her country out of poverty. If India enrolled 1% more girls in secondary school, their GDP would rise by $5.5 billion.

She can feed her family and her country. Investing in girls' education could boost agricultural output in Sub-Saharan Africa by 25%.

She can increase her income. For every year a girl stays in school, her income can increase by 15 to 25%.

She will invest in future generations. Educated women invest 90% of their income into their family.

She will send her children to school, continuing the cycle of education. Educated mothers are more than twice as likely to send their children to school.

Now my question is what if the bombs and the guns today were the weapons to send girls back to school? and those people who are being massacred with different groups were levels of education for girls?