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Virus leaves children homeless

Wednesday September 23 2020
virus

Single parents who are in treatment centers rely on temporary caregivers and relatives to take care of their children at home. However, it was understood that most children are abused during this period. PHOTO | Cyril Ndegeya

By ARAFAT MUGABO

Children whose parents are either in Coronavirus isolation or treatment centres have called for support and security.

Although the government recently launched home-based treatment for Covid-19, there are patients in critical conditions while others with chronic health conditions who cannot be treated from home.

Rwanda Today has learnt that there are children who are now staying outside their own homes with temporary caregivers who are abusing them and now have nowhere to go.

Ester Nyamwiza (not her real name), 14-years-old, said when her mother was taken for isolation and later in a treatment center after testing positive for Covid-19, she was forced to live with her aunt.

Unfortunately, Nyamwiza said when the aunt leaves for work, the husband usually tries to make sexual advances towards her.

“I one day run out of the room when the husband to my aunt had started touching my private parts and later threatened me that if I told anyone about him he was going to kill me,” said Nyamwiza.

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“I am scared that one day he will defile me because that is what I see in him. I need help from the government so that they can find me where to leave because my mother is fighting for her life in the hospital," she said.

Jean-Paul Niyomugabo (not his real name), another 10-year-old child in the Nyakarenzo sector in Rusizi District said when his father, a cross-border trader was found with Covid-19 he left home and went to live with the neighbour.

“I am still leaving with the neighbors since my father has not yet recovered but what is disturbing is that I become the maid in that home. They have made almost all home chores my responsibilities, “said Niyomgabo.

“I need support so that I can get another temporary caregiver in the times I wait for my father to recover from Covid-19 and return home,” says Niyomugabo.

A remotely conducted mini-survey by Rwanda Today on eight children whose parents are in treatment centers found that they are poorly treated by temporary caregivers and relatives since some of their rights are not respected.

For instance, the survey found out that 4 children were not allowed to continue with online studies on Radio, and Television as their fellows.

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