Restoring hope: Hot Cares supports young survivor through Global Empathy Project

At Hot Cares, we often say we exist to bring hope where it feels lost—to bring light into the darkest moments. And few stories have shaken us more deeply than that of five-year-old Baby T*, a little girl from Zambia whose life was shattered by an unimaginable act of violence.

Baby T, whose name means faith, hope, and trust, was lured from her garden by someone known to her and taken to an abandoned house, where she was raped by four men. Threatened into silence, she bore the physical and emotional trauma alone for over a week until her injuries could no longer be hidden.

Her story reached the Global Empathy Project, a registered non-profit operating in South Africa and Zambia, which provides financial and emotional support to victims of severe trauma. They moved swiftly, getting her initial care in Lusaka and then working with authorities to bring her to Johannesburg. Once in South Africa, she was placed under the legal guardianship of her aunt, Ro*, who is now her primary caregiver.

With the help of compassionate pediatric specialists at Fourways Life Hospital, Baby T was assessed under anaesthetic to begin planning the medical interventions she urgently needs. Tragically, the critical 72-hour window to administer prophylaxis treatment was missed, raising additional health concerns.

“She is in pain,” her aunt Ro shared tearfully on HOT 102.7FM. “She needs sympathy, love, and care. She’s scared of everyone—men, women—because she doesn’t understand what’s happened to her.”

The trauma Baby T has endured is not only physical. As her aunt expressed, Baby T now lives in fear—of people, of pain, and of the world around her. The healing she needs is profound and long-term, encompassing psychological support and safe reintegration into family and community life.

“We believe she can heal,” said Sarah Clayton, founder of the Global Empathy Project. “But it will take time, empathy, and ongoing support. This is only the beginning of her journey.”

Hot Cares has stepped in to ease the burden. We are covering the cost of Baby T’s flights to and from Johannesburg (R20,000), and the R60,000 medical procedure already performed to assess her injuries. These contributions are just a first step in a longer journey that Baby T and her family must walk—but it is a step taken with love, compassion, and a deep commitment to her healing.

We are proud to stand alongside the Global Empathy Project and all those who support their Trauma Relief Fund. Baby T’s story is heart-wrenching, but it is also a call to action—a reminder that through kindness and unity, we can help restore the hope, dignity, and future of even the most vulnerable among us.

To support the Global Empathy Project and help more children like Baby T, visit www.globalempathy.org or follow @globalempathyorg on Instagram.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity and dignity of the survivor and her family.