Dear Editor,
We are mothers, grandmothers, aunts, nieces and cousins, who are deeply saddened and perturbed by the death of so many children who lost their lives in the Mahdia Secondary School Dormitory fire.
We know the pain that these mothers and families are feeling at this time for the tragic loss of their loved ones, who were in that location to get an education, only for this to happen and to watch their labour and love and hopes for their children to be gone in the blink of an eye.
Only a few years ago we also lost children hosted at the government run Drop-in Centre to fire. No amount of remorse or sympathy can bring back the lives of these children. As care givers we must ask and answer hard and important questions about how we are safely caring for our children in dormitories and other places that house them.
There are reports in the media of arson, with some news outfits saying the fire was caused by one of the schoolgirls. Red Thread says, instead of focusing on the child as a cause we must focus on caring for and loving all of our children, which means providing spaces where they can learn meaningfully and safely, where they feel cared for , where healthy relations with each other and with teachers and communities are built.
Our sympathy and condolences to the families and communities who have lost children.
Yours truly,
Joy Marcus
Halima Khan
Susan Collymore
Wintress White
