Gaia It was a warm September afternoon. The city of Azun looked deserted and the term "ghost town" echoed through my mind as we drove down the dusty streets of the Amina district. My Taxi driver had kept me occupied by asking countless questions about my trip. It had been 4 years since we last visited this place. Sadhu, my older sister has lived here all her #life apart from the period of her relatively short marriage. This visit calls for celebration and celebration it will be. As we drew closer to the house the city began to show more signs of #life. The music bellowing from Sadhu's abode gave an impression of a big party. I begin to realise that most of the residents were usually observing siesta at this time perhaps due to the immense heat. But on this day, my arrival would disturb the neighbourhood's peace. And it did. We partied deep into the night. Old friends and relatives were in attendance and there was plenty to eat and drink while dancing all night to loud music. Underneath all the glee, lay some very disturbing truths. Sadhu had recently been divorced, her husband has threatened to take her girls with him though at the time they still lived with their mother and she had out of anxiety started to meet with different men in the hope of finding a new husband. Divorcees are usually stigmatised in this society. This causes desperation and indeed #depression in recently divorced women. Sadhu was no exception. The next morning, I awoke to a cleaning up effort by Sadhu and friends after last nights mess. I found myself being an object of scrutiny in the eyes of my nieces, Gaia and Sona. Two sets of great big beautiful eyes staring at me and poking my legs with a stick perhaps in the hope of getting a reaction. "Who is this man that looks like mum", they must have thought. I remember thinking this was no place for young girls aged 3 and 4. The older Sona seemed not to care much about her fragile younger sister Gaia. Perhaps it was a sign if the condition in which they lived. I wasn't too sure. TO BE CONTINUED....