In the early 1960's, Vera Chirwa and her husband Orton became attorneys in their native Malawi. Their goal was to teach fellow citizens about human rights, but a dispute with the ruling party led to their self-exile to Tanzania. There, Vera and Orton continued their work on behalf of their homeland.

In 1981, after seventeen years of fighting for free elections, the Chitwas were kidnapped in Tanzania and extradited to Malawi in shackles. They were tried without represenation and sentenced to death for treason. An international pressure resulted in teh release of Vera, age 61. Today, Vera continues her work and hope to establish a legal resource center in Malawi.

Photo by Joyce Tenneyson
Music by Altazor, courtesy of Redwood Records
Written by Tricia Kellison, Chris Linn, and Ray Kristof