Chama Malu 11-11-2008 09-49-54 1863x279302

Bethany Children

First name

Chama

Family name

Malu

Date of birth

18/08/2003

Joined Bethany

October 2007

Sex

Male

Favourite Colour

Yellow

Favourite Food

Rice and meat

Favourite Drink

Soda

Favourite Subject

 

Best Friends

Denis

Favourite pastime

 

Ambition

 

Family History:  See below

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Picture taken - November 2008
Height: 114cm  Weight: 17kg

Family History:
Chama has got three brothers and they all live at Bethany. They share a mother but have different fathers. His father died soon when Chama was born. Later in May 2007, his mother decided to leave her children at her friend’s family (a witch doctor) and abandoned them their (according to Isaka - Chama’s brother when interviewed). They have been living at that family for almost five months and life has been so difficult because they treated as house boys, they had to make sure that they go fishing everyday and bring some thing to eat no matter what the situation, so sometimes they had to steal some fish from the fishermen at the lake. Their mother left some clothes with them but this lady – a witch doctor took those clothes and gave them to her own children and grand children. She would beat them any time she wished even in the middle of the night when they are a sleep. They missed school many times because they had to do a lot of works at home. Isaka had seen the Bethany sign one day when they were travelling with his cousin and his cousin told him that Bethany was an orphanage.  That’s why when he could not bear the mistreatments especially having his young brothers, he convinced his young brothers to leave!
They walked 74 kilometres to come to Bethany. They arrived Saturday 27th October very late in evening. Mr Bujiku – the Tanzanian co-ordinator allowed them to stay for the night and then the following day, Paul Maharage, Yona Jackson and Mr. Bujiku went with these four boys to the village they had come from for more investigation where the story told by Isaka, was true from the village leader and the neighbours who testified that these children really need a lot of help! It was when the three manager from Bethany, decided to take the boys back to Bethany. Since Sunday they are happy and enjoy the company of other children. Today Isaka has said, “ I feel so happy to stay at Bethany, it is a home where people are so nice to each other and they really care about one another. I would not choose to go back to that witch doctor; she is not a good person at all”!

Report By Eliada Bujiku ( Tanzanian team member)