Saturday, March 05, 2005

A Powerful Story of Survival

This morning's New York Times reports the story of Mukhtaran Bibi, called by many Mukhtar Mai(meaning "respected big sister"). She is a Pakistani Woman sentenced to gang rape by the local government in order to punish her family. She was meant to have killed herself from shame, but instead she survived, had her rapists prosecuted and convicted. She took the compensation money and opened a school to educate the children of her town (she herself had never attended school until she learned in the one she began). She is a hero.
Now, her life is again in danger, for her rapists were recently released from prison. She is being hidden by Mercy Corps (who have helped her expand her school).
Read more about her story in today's column by Kristof and an article from September.
Keep her in your prayers.

UPDATE: Read more about Mukhtar Mai at her website.

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