Family History:
Isaka has got three brothers called  Ginai, Kulwa  and Chama and they all live at Bethany. Their father died in 2000 when he was four years old. One day his mother decided to leave her children at her friend’s family (a witch doctor) and abandoned them their. That was in May 2007 (according to Isaka when interviewed). They lived at that family for almost five months and life was so difficult because they were 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 were asleep. They missed school many time 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 27^th 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)