The Ntaseka Clinic in Kamenge slum of Bujumbura provides health care for survivors of rape and gender based violence, support for 200 HIV+ individuals, trauma healing workshops for raped and abused women, and health care for children and the general population. This includes AIDS testing and support for those who are HIV+. Founded in 2002 with a fulltime staff of eleven, it services more than 5000 people each year.
Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world, beset with social and political unrest. Kamenge commune was almost completely destroyed in the 1994 to 2005 civil war. Many widows, destitute young women, often with children, and other survivors of the conflict live precariously in this slum. There is no other free clinic in the community of over 50,000 people. Kamenge also has one of the highest rates of HIV+ people in the country.
The free Ntaseka Clinic's staff of eleven provides health services including maternal and child health, family planning to 250 people per month, AIDS testing for 200 people per month, psychological and material support for 200 HIV+ individuals, trauma healing and self-help groups programs for abused women, and outreach on gender based violence, family planning, and maternity/child health.
With proper support HIV+ people can live a normal life. Family planning will help curtail Burundi's high birth rates. Trauma healing workshops will improve the resilience of women who have been raped or experienced other gender based violence. Outreach on gender based violence will lower the high rate of violence against women. Access to normal and preventive health will lead to better health outcomes for the Kamenge population.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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