why i can't be silent anymore, a plea to protect girls from abuse

Sexual abuse cases are increasing in Zimbabwe and worldwide. We need to start taking action.
This is my module four assignment which I hope will inspire you to act and protect girls.
The music in the background is by Anderson Mamimine and The Positive Life Choir. The Positive life choir is made up of orphans and their caregivers mainly grandmothers. The orphans singing in the background song are HIV positive. The song is a cry for protection from abuse, war and disease.

The proceeds from the sales of the CD are going towards educating the orphans and providing them with necessities. still This is not enough because they are many. The children are giving a ray of hope even though they have seen hardships no one should never ever see in their lifetime. Some of the children are also victims of sexual abuse.

the following poem raises awareness on the pain, hurt and betrayal faced by abused girls.

Who will protect me?

A piercing scream cuts the peaceful night.
The atmosphere is immediately filled with fear.
He is here again, tearing pieces in my soul that can never be sewn back, destroying that which can never be built again, hurting my body and destroying my soul.
I look up to him but I don’t like what he does to me.
He says that I must never tell anyone because he will kill me, but why should he kill me because I told someone how he plays with me.
I play with my friends but their games do not hurt me.
When I told mama she said I will burn in hell because of my lies. “You want your father to go to jail?” she hisses. “Then who will buy us food?” she says wiping away stubborn tears flowing down her face. “But ...I...” I stammer. My mother tells me to be quiet.
Who will protect me?
My mother is afraid he will divorce her and people will laugh at us and say I am a disgrace.
Who will protect me when he follows me to school and tells the teacher I am a liar so she should never listen to me.
Who will protect me when my neighbours will laugh and say I caused it myself.
Who will protect me when my mother depends on him?
Who will protect me when it is my father, who is hurting me, my father raping me, my father killing me?
I want to go to school and become a judge so that when he comes to my court I shall protect other children like me being raped by their fathers and relatives.

I thank you.

This poem was written for Rudo (not real name) an eight year old girl I met during my VOF training who was abused by her father and is still nursing bruises from the abuse. She is recovering and receiving counselling but there are still thousands of girls who are still being abused in the purported security of the homes and they have not yet found their voices. I believe a world free of abuse is possible. Rome was not built in a day but I have put my first brick towards ending abuse against girls. Put yours and united we will have an abuse free world. Speak up for the voiceless, help give a voice to the voiceless.

Take a moment to pray for all the children of the world and lend a helping hand. Just remember your small change is big change. Act today to make the world a better place.
follow the following link to watch the video

This multimedia story is part of an assignment for Voices of Our Future a program of World Pulse that provides rigorous digital empowerment and citizen journalism training for grassroots women leaders. World Pulse lifts and unites the voices of women from some of the most unheard regions of the world.