About The Manja Safe House
The Manja Safe House is located in a rural area in the Republic of Malawi. The road to the Manja Safe House is a bumpy one. The home that was chosen as the Safe House for children suspected of being "witches" had to be a rural site because the of the nature of the project. Malawian society does not look kindly on children who are involved in witchcraft. Some methods of punishment include stoning, beating, starving and burning alive. For the same reason, nobody in the Manja community is aware that this house is being used as a haven for girls who have suffered abuse for their involvement, suspected or real, with witchcraft.
There are currently eight girls living in the home. They range in age from 10 - 17 and have all been living there since the advent of the project in October 2010. Four of them were merely accused of practicing witchcraft and four of them actually were practicing witchcraft. Through prayer and counselling, all four of the practicing witches have rejected what is, for them, a type of religion.
This home provides these girls with a safe haven from abuse, counselling, an introduction to biblical truth, and reintegration into society.
Although Frank Phiri, manager of this project, foresees these girls remaining in the project for a couple of years he feels that they have made great strides. They have counselled and educated the families that these girls come from, and are facilitating short visits between the girls and their families. It's their hope that eventually they will be able to launch an awareness campaign that will educate the broader Malawian community.
The cost of this project is $15,000 each year for Operational costs.
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