Meet Akwata Omod, this amazing woman runs a shelter for young girls and orphaned children in Gambella town. Her organization provides shelter for girls who are victims of rape and infants who have been abandoned. I can not even begin to describe her mental strength. (1/6) 
She explained to us that most of the rape victims are girls under the age of 13. The infants that are abandoned are results of early age unwanted pregnancies. She has only resources to provide temporary shelter and struggles to find families for the infants. She proudly (2/6)
told us that she had adopted an abandoned infant herself and that her daughter is now 13 and in the 8th grade. She said that one of the hardest societal practices that she is fighting is families forcing the young girls to marry their rapists just to maintain their "honor" (3/6)
Can you imagine being forced to marry your rapist? Akwata continued to tell us that some of her pressing problems are funds to hire staff and security for the large compound. Donors want to give equipment & not money so she can't hire staff and thieves come in all the time (4/6)
stealing furniture, AC units etc. Imagine worrying about thieves when you are trying to rehabilitate young rape victims. Then someone asked where she finds the little girls that were raped...her answer will stick with me forever. She said at the police station or if they (5/6)
were badly raped then at the hospital. Her exact words in Amharic were, "betam ke'tedeferu". Imagine that distinction, yetedeferech ena BETAM yetedeferech. These are the realities of our little girls and the people who come to their aid. This is our collective shame. (6/6)
