How drought causes rape, school girl pregnancies in Mvumi, Dodoma

 These  issues have been massively attacking our communities ,especially in the areas where a drop of water counts as a LIFE serving tool, Today hungaz brings out the article that expains and gives a  real picture in how it happens,the article was written by:
 Gerald Kitabu

Prolonged drought and shortage of food in Mvumi Mission village, Mvumi ward, Chamwino District in Dodoma Region has greatly contributed to increased number of pregnancies among school girls. Our columnist Gerald Kitabu visited the area and interviewed a resident, Kelda Ligoha and filed this interview. EXERPTS…


QUESTION: I understand that you are faced with prolonged drought and shortage of food, when did you start experiencing such problems?


ANSWER: The water woes in the ward started way back in 2004 after Hifadhi Ardhi Dodoma (HADO) project, which had the aim of re-greening the area by planting trees, protecting soil erosion, reserved forests and water catchments areas, and reducing the number of livestock closed its operations. When the project closed it business in 2004, many residents started felling down trees for charcoal and farming while others grazed their cattle in the reserved forests.
Productivity went down as maize, sorghum and millet could no longer be produced effectively due to water shortage caused by drought. Within six years of HADO absence, the ward has witnessed increased temperatures, outbreak of diseases such as cholera and typhoid caused by change in rain patterns.


Q: How do you get water for domestic use?


A: There is one borehole built 50 years ago, when the population was very small. However, with the increase in population, things have never changed; we all use the same borehole, which is also drying up as days go-by.


Q: So, when the borehole does not have water, where else do you get water?


A: We travel for over three kilometers to get water from some ponds, which are usually dirty because we share it with cattle. Sometimes, even the ponds are becoming drier than before, so in order to get water one has to walk during night when there are no cattle grazing around.

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Q: How do you walk alone during the night?


A: I ask my husband to escort me during the night to get water. I understand that it is a very difficult decision to take considering rooted African culture where water issues are left for women and girls. For example, on December 6, this year, I asked my husband to accompany me to the well.


We walked for over three kilometers with our buckets only to return home empty handed because there was no water at the well.
We got back home and kept our empty buckets in a store. We however couldn’t sleep because the house was too hot such that few hours later, I decided to ask my husband if he could escort me again to some neighbours who relatively larger water storage facilities so that I could ask them to help me so that I could use it for cooking and taking a bath.


Q: Do other women do the same?

A: Very few courageous women do the same, the majority end up being raped and school girls been impregnated and finally abandon school.


Q: Why are the women raped and impregnated?

A: Some men who have water storage facilities have developed close relationship with women and young girls. Women have found themselves either knowingly or unknowingly falling in love with such men. These men take advantage of shortage of water in the village while they have plenty of it and lure women and young girls for sexual exploits. They walk into their homes during night asking for water before men raping them.


Q: How many have been raped and impregnated this year?

A: There are many, I think there are more than ten. You know this thing is treated as a secret. I understand that there are many such cases but many of them are resolved clandestinely at home where the families or parents from both two sides meet, discuss and resolve without the knowledge of government authorities.

Always the victims have been women. There are many cases of school drop-outs. The irony of it is that the perpetrators are not brought to justice. Women are in precarious situation. Their lives are at risk. They need money and as a result they fall prey to these type of men.

Q: Are the men committing such offences brought to justice?

A: As I said earlier, these men normally run away and some decide to talk with the families of the affected women to settle their cases amicably. This is done without the awareness of the village and district authorities.
If a schoolboy commits such offence, he quickly abandons school and hide to do away with the scandal and people remain mum.


Q: Why do you think girls are trapped so easily?

A: Many girls comes from poor families, they are raped and impregnated because of poverty. Many don’t own small income generating projects like men who travel to other parts of the region to do business. So, when a man promises to give her 500/- or 1,000/-, the girl immediately gives in because she wants to survive, beatify herself to look like decent girls and meet her daily needs.

Imagine one bucket of water is sold at 250/-. This means for a big family, one has to use more than 5,000/- a day to get enough water for shower, cleaning, cooking, and washing clothes. Girls as usual want to take shower, look beautiful, yet they don’t have any source of income. Where do you think one will raise such money from?


Q: What advice would you give your fellow women and girls in particular?


A: I advise women to be courageous and respect themselves especially at this trying moment. They must know that problems are there for every body, it is their hard working that will rescue them from risking their lives.
I urge the authorities to take this problem very seriously because it seems they are not aware of the problem. Many cases are currently resolved under the carpet between parents.

source:THE GUARDIAN