By Parfaite Ntahuba | National Coordinator
Three workshops on trauma healing were done in FWA training room on May 27-29, 2019, June 20-22, 2019 and July 29-31, 2019. Participants were women survivors of gender-based violence. The total number of participants to the three workshops was 60.
Testimonies
My name is Diana. I was told that my mother threw me away when I was two months old because they were always fighting with my father. I grew up feeling that I was rejected. I got married to a soldier who has been fighting in the forest. He has now disabilities in one of his legs. He has been very abusive against me. Most of the time, he locks me in our room and beats me with his belt. I have a lot of scars all over my skin. He says I have anywhere to go because even my mother threw me away. One day, he was caught in adultery with a sex worker. He paid BIF 100,000 to be released. However, he never provide for me and our two kids. I have to wash some people’s clothes in order to survive. I’m now under birth control as it is very hard to survive with my two kids. I’m very thankful for this workshop. Most people think that I live peacefully with my husband because I have not revealed to them the way I’m surviving. This is my first time to share this story in a group of people.
My name is Chantal. In our family, we are three sisters and one brother. When I grew up, I got married. However, after I had my first born, my husband left me and married another wife. I have been struggling a lot in order to survive with my kid. I could not go back to my family because my two sisters and brother refused to receive me with my kid. Then, I went to live together with my grandmother. Unfortunately, she died. As I was suffering a lot, my neighbors and friends advised me to run small business. I had an uncle who loved me so much, and he gave me a capital to start with. Now, I am selling tomatoes, fruits and other small things. This workshop has helped me to understand the great importance to find someone you trust and tell him/her your sad story.
Self-help groups
From May 2019 to July 2019, FWA has initiated nine new self-help groups (Four in May, two in June and three in July) for a total of 225 women.
I am a widow. Being a member of one self-help groups at FWA has helped me to purchase sheets for my small house. Indeed, my group gave me a loan to buy the sheets. And I have now paid back the loan. This has encouraged me. Now I can save BIF 5,000 per week while I was saving only BIF1,000 per week at the beginning, Said one self-help group’s member
Caring for HIV Positive People
FWA Has also purchased medicine and reagents to care for HIV positive people. At the end of April 2019, we had a total of 303 people under retro drugs. On July 29, 2019, we had a total of 314 people under retro drugs, including 253 women and 61 men.
By Parfaite Ntahuba | National Coordinator
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