The woman who was severely burnt with a hot pressing iron by
her husband early this year, Mrs Mercy Nnadi, has been fully rehabilitated by
three non-governmental organisations.
fund, to help Mercy after the incident. They 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.
The
campaign resulted in the ministry helping to offset Mercy’s medical bills
substantially. The ministry paid the sum of N830,000; took Mercy away from the
private hospital she was at Okota; and got her admitted into Lagos State
University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
After she was discharged, Mercy was taken to the state government-owned shelter
for abused women and young girls. The groups also raised money for Mercy, which
they used to get her a furnished one-room apartment. Besides, they also gave
her a cheque of N150, 000 to enable her to start a small-scale business.
Mercy, who was grateful for the kind gesture, thanked God for restoring her
health. She said although she had lost her only child, her ordeal was for a
reason and she would use her experience to touch the lives of abused women.
“I never believed I would be alive and well. I’m still very sad over the death
of my son but I believe God has a purpose for me. If I ever see a woman being
abused, I will counsel her,” she said.
