Othakarhaka – Passing on the Kindness (OTK) brought hope to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) survivor Euster Mollen from Manjomo village, T/A Mkanda in Mulanje, by handing over a house to her on Thursday.
In an interview, Mollen, 35, shared painful memories of her first marriage, saying it took her only a month to realize that she had married the wrong man.
“Enduring verbal and physical abuse during the five years of my marriage, I stayed in the hope that my husband would change. However, after the birth of my second child, I decided to leave and returned to my grandmother’s home. The abuse I experienced left me bitter, vowing never to marry again. However, finding a place to stay was a challenge for me.”
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She adds: “With the support of the house from the Othakarhaka Foundation, I can now start a new life. Initially, I used to stay with my grandmother, but now life is good for me and my two children.”
OTK executive director Ida Puliwa expressed excitement about easing the burden of those who have lost hope in life due to GBV.
“As a foundation, we are thrilled to hand over this house to Euster. It is our responsibility as a humanitarian organization to intervene in such situations. While these victims remember their lost hope in their lives, they should also remember that they have a true friend in us,” she said.
OTK has constructed a house as part of the Bricks of Hope project, which the foundation is implementing with financial support from the International Development Institute (IDI Africa).
Senior Chief Mkanda expressed gratitude and relief, commenting that she is deeply thankful to see her people finally have safe and comfortable homes to live in.
“It has been a long journey since Euster left her marriage due to GBV, but with the help of Othakarhaka, she has been able to rebuild and move forward in her life. This new house brings hope and stability to Euster and other women around here.”
Reported by Franco Mwachande
