Her pleas for food are met with violence from her own husband
Makita’s daily battle with violence in her home led her to find a lifeline through Tearfund’s support at her local church.
In a small, bustling market in South Sudan, Makita works tirelessly to provide for her seven children.
Makita, a determined mother of seven, has faced more than her fair share of challenges. While she is married by law, she must parent as if she isn’t. Her husband, who should be a partner in providing for the family, instead is taking away from them. “My husband is not doing anything,” Makita shares, her voice aching with exhaustion. He does not work or care for the children, and Makita is left to her own devices to keep the family together, fed, and healthy.
Her husband’s lack of effort is not the only issue within their family, either. Not only does he refuse to work, but he takes from their family’s supplies for his own means. “Every time I come to my husband to ask for money for maintaining the family, it becomes another issue,” she laments, “because my husband has used up all the money.” After an arduous shift at the local market, she came home to find the kids hungry and her earnings gone. “The situation worsened,” she went on.
The daily struggle that Makita faces is more than financial — it’s emotional and physical. When she approaches her husband for money with hopes to feed their hungry children, her desperate pleas are met with anger and violence: “if I insist, my husband gives me the beating.” Her energy is torn between her time spent working, her sole efforts to care for and provide for the children, and the toll that her husband’s anger has on her. She longs to provide a healthy life for her children but is unsure how to move forward.
Then, through this darkening time, a spark of hope shone through her local church. Tearfund worked through the church to bring Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) training to leaders and people like Makita. Through this program, Tearfund offers biblically-based training on healing from trauma, supporting victims and survivors, and working towards bringing an end to sexual and gender-based violence.
Unwilling to endure her situation any further, Makita got involved with Tearfund’s new training program. “After joining the training, things changed,” she voices, “I’m using the things I learned and applying them.” Makita is gaining a new perspective because of the help from her church, and learning ways to approach conflict that she never imagined. Moreover, she doesn’t have to do it alone! She recounts, “When it happened [again], we wanted to find him, but take some time when he comes home.” She learned that, by not confronting the issue immediately out of high emotions, and instead giving space before talking things out, it gives her husband time to calm down. “He’s able to become better,” she explains hopefully.
While the issues within the family are not yet over, Makita now pushes forward with resilience and hope for her family’s future: “I hope that God is able to change things for the better.” Because of the training she received and the church community supporting her, she no longer has to endure this violence alone.
Through Tearfund’s work in the local church, people like Makita are given another chance at hope for the future. Tearfund’s commitment to survivors like her is more than just providing immediate relief — it’s about equipping individuals with the tools they need to rebuild their lives and restore their dignity.
Through your generosity, Tearfund can continue to provide necessary training to people like Makita, giving them a support system and the means to navigate relational issues. Your generosity can turn hope into reality for countless individuals. Together, we can make a difference.
