Time for Action

It is International Women's Day and the theme this year is an important one: 'A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women'. 

At 19 years of age, Jenifer Atim is a mother of four. Her mother was killed in front of her by the Lord’s Resistance Army at the age of nine.

Held in captivity by the revels, she was then handed over to an old man to become his wife. “The day I was handed over to him, he raped me that night and I bled for nearly a month and was sick in the tummy and could not walk on my own. I was laughed at by other rebels that I am just a foolish girl and that, with time, I would be a good wife to the old man. There were other young girls we found in the camp who were wives of rebel soldiers. Whenever this old man returned from the war front, he always buried all his anger in between my legs. I hated him so much but I had nothing to do”.

Year later, Jenifer was able to escape and is now working with Send a Cow to rebuild her life. All Jenifer wants is not be ashamed; to not feel that she is worthless of her past.

Through innovative techniques such as drama and drawing, Send a Cow is helping Jenifer to express her emotions, and by introducing her to others in a similar situation, Jenifer is beginning to understand that she is a strong and powerful woman, who has been subjected to a hideous tragedy. There is hope for the future.