NGOs Care and Support for Mercy Nnadi: Domestic Violence Burns Victim, 6 Months After.

Mercy Nnadi, the woman who was burnt severely with a hot iron by her husband early this year, was yesterday fully rehabilitated by the three NGOs who took the lead in seeking funds for her medical treatment and rehabilitation thereafter. The NGOs, Project Alert on Violence Against Women, Centa for Organizational Development (COD) and Zahara Women, had on hearing about the unfortunate incident, come together to set up an appeal fund, to help Mercy. The NGOs drew the attention of the Lagos State Government to the case, and the government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, immediately swung into action.

This resulted in the Ministry helping to upset Mercy's medical bills substantially. They paid the sum of N830,000; took Mercy away from the private hospital she was in at Okota; and got her admitted into Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, from where she was discharged and taken to the state government owned shelter for abused women and young girls.

While Mercy stayed on at the shelter, the NGOs on their part continued to raise funds for Mercy's rehabilitation. The result of this fund raising efforts by these NGOs paid off yesterday, as they handed Mercy the keys to a one room apartment they got and furnished for her; along with a cheque of N150,000 to be used by her to start a small scale business, that will sustain her.