THE MALAWIAN woman whose body was found in a bag in Dublin on Sunday had lived in Rathmines and seems to have been looking for au pair work last year.
Rudo Mawere (26) had moved to Ireland some two years ago and registered as a student in a small educational institution.
She shared a flat in a subdivided period house on Leinster Road, Rathmines, which has paint peeling on the outside.
There was little activity outside her flat yesterday, which is not being treated as a crime scene and which has not been sealed off by gardaí.
An advertisement from a woman seeking an au pair job in Dublin appears to have been written by Ms Mawere in January 2011. The woman described herself as Catholic and said religion was important to her.
She wrote that she taught at a Sunday school in Malawi and “it was really fun having lots of kids and teaching them about God”. Her listed hobbies included reading novels and swimming.
Her photograph shows a broadly smiling woman with dark hair, defined cheekbones and neatly dressed. She was petite, describing herself as 4ft 11in and just over 8 stone.
In the advertisement, she listed herself as single. However gardaí believe that Ms Mawere may have been in a relationship with an African man.
The ad described the woman as an “ honest reliable and likeable lady” and said that any family would “not be disappointed” by her. She mentioned a passion for children.
“I really love being around kids because kids make me occupied and free.”
Ms Mawere mentioned her experience working as an au pair with a family for three months. However the family had moved to Wales and she could not go with them. She had a “really good time with the girls”, she wrote.
Ms Mawere’s family in Malawi had been informed of her death by yesterday. She had siblings, according to her job ad. People from many parts of the world, including Zimbabwe and Malawi, were among her social networking friends.
She had expressed the hope that she would return to Malawi and start a business. “After my au pair I intend to go back to my country start up my little nursery school because kids are my life.”
The chief executive of Dublin- based immigrant group the Africa Centre, Eric Yao, said many people were in touch with the organisation about her death.
Many Malawians were in touch who did not know her personally but were very upset by the way she died and where she was found.
There were a few hundred people from the southeast African nation living in Ireland, many of whom had come here as students, Mr Yao added.
He appealed to any members of the African community with further information to contact gardaí.
Nearly eight years ago, another young Malawian woman was killed in Co Kilkenny.
The decapitated remains of Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi Unyolo (25) were found in Brenar Bridge, Piltown, Co Kilkenny, on July 23rd, 2004.
The mother of two sons, she had been missing for three weeks before the discovery. Ms Unyolo Onyemaechi was the daughter of the Malawian chief justice, Leonard Unyolo.