Discarded like Rubbish - Swazilandby James Hall At six years, Thobile is one of the youngest abuse survivors at the halfway house in Manzini, Swaziland. Yet she is mature beyond her years, perhaps due to an enhanced survival instinct. Thobile seems embodied with an inner strength to prevail, to hold onto life even against the assaults of cruel parents. Or maybe she is just naturally perceptive. Like other abuse survivors, she is journeying towards a happy ending, thanks to the intervention of compassionate authorities and dedicated guardians. “I have just finished pre-school. In January I will join first grade at the government school. My father is a guard. My mother is alive. She has a job in Mbabane so I don’t see her much. (Note: Thobile’s mother is dead but her father is unable or unwilling to tell her the truth). I have a brother and a sister and a stepmother. At home I did the cleaning. My father taught me how to clean. I also did the cooking. Still my stepmother would beat me and throw me out at night. I remember those nights when I slept outside, under a tree, without a blanket. Despite all this I was happy living with my parents. One day my father and stepmother went away. They locked the house and left without telling me where they were going or when they would be coming back. I saw them leave. I waited for days and they did not come back. I slept outside under the tree. I had no food. I was alone and scared. Some neighbours took me in and gave me food. They didn’t know where my parents were. They looked after me out of compassion. I slept on a sponge on the floor. And I was given enough food. In this house I lived with the woman who took me in and an older man. One night as I was sleeping someone came into the room. This person did not live in the house and I didn’t know him. He was not old. He woke me up. He asked me where I stayed. Then he gave me some very nice food - chicken and rice. I had eaten dinner before going to bed, so this was an extra treat. When I finished eating he came to where I was sleeping. He touched my private parts. Then he lay on top of me, and it was painful. He made me sore. When he was done he left. I was scared and I cried. The other people in the house did not hear me. In the morning I informed my guardians what had happened. I was in great pain. They took me to the clinic where a nurse examined me and asked some questions. Then the police came. They also asked me a lot of questions. My parents have not asked about me. I don’t want to go back to them either. I have bad dreams at night. I dream about my stepmother beating me. Sometimes I wet my bed. Other times I get afraid that somebody will sneak in and do something bad to me.”
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