Providing health care to 1000s in Bujumbura slum

Story : From Violence to Survival: A Mother’s Story of Courage and Resilience

When I was young, a man approached me and proposed marriage. He told me that he was divorced and had only two children. I believed him and accepted his proposal, hoping to build a family and a better future with him.

After I joined him in marriage, I discovered that the situation was very different from what he had told me. He actually had six children and was separated from their mother. I was still young, and because I believed that he loved me, I decided to remain with him and do my best to make our marriage work.

Soon afterward, I became pregnant with my first child. During the first months of my pregnancy, my husband treated me well. However, when I was about six months pregnant, his behavior suddenly changed. He began physically abusing me, sometimes simply because I asked for something to eat. He would tell me that I had brought nothing into his household and therefore had no right to ask him for anything.

I experienced different forms of violence, but I remained in the marriage. I endured the abuse, hoping that his behavior would eventually change.

Later, I became pregnant for the second time. This pregnancy was extremely difficult. I often did not have enough food to eat, and as a result, I became increasingly weak. During this difficult period, I also discovered that my husband was involved with another woman.

One day, my husband told me that he wanted to take me to the hospital because he wanted to find out what was wrong with me. When we arrived at the health facility, he told the health worker that he wanted to know whether I was pregnant. A pregnancy test was conducted, and the result confirmed that I was pregnant.

Instead of being happy about the pregnancy, my husband told me that he did not want the child. He insisted that I should terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible. I refused because I wanted to keep my baby.

On our way home, we travelled by bicycle, with my husband riding and me sitting behind him. When we reached an area near a small river, he deliberately caused an accident. I believed that he was trying to make me lose my pregnancy. People nearby witnessed what happened and realized that the accident had been deliberately caused. I was terrified. After that incident, I refused to travel on a bicycle with him again.

When we returned home, the pressure continued. My husband threatened me and told me to take medication to terminate the pregnancy. Again, I refused. I decided that I could no longer face the situation alone, so I sought help and told my father-in-law what was happening.

My father-in-law intervened. He advised my husband to stop forcing me to terminate the pregnancy and warned him that he would report the matter to the police if the threats and violence continued.

However, that night, the situation became even worse. My husband severely beat me. The violence was so intense that I feared for my life. I believed that he was trying to make me lose my pregnancy through physical violence. I felt helpless and afraid, but I held on to the hope that I would survive and protect my unborn child.

Eventually, after everything I had endured, my husband left me for another woman.

Today, I live alone with my two children. Life is not easy. Without a husband to support us, I have to work hard to provide for my family. I work in the rice fields to earn an income and meet our basic needs.

My story is a story of pain, but it is also a story of survival, courage, and resilience. I experienced physical violence, threats, reproductive coercion, abandonment, and economic hardship. Despite everything I went through, I chose to protect my child and refused to give up. Today, I continue working every day to provide for my two children and give them a better future. My experiences have taught me that even in the most difficult circumstances, a woman can find the courage to stand up for herself and protect what matters most.

• FWA_AUGUST_2026_NARRATIVE_REPORT.doc (DOC)