Providing health care to 1000s in Bujumbura slum

My name is Goreth. They paid my dowry in 2000 on Christmas Day, and that same day I went to live with my husband. Unfortunately, it was a common-law relationship.

A year later, I gave birth to my first female child. I was mistreated and even traumatized by my husband by depriving me of food.

My second pregnancy was also a girl. My husband didn't want to wait for me to leave the hospital; he came straight to the hospital, where I was severely beaten.

When I arrived home, the situation didn't change; he hit me whenever he felt like it.

As for my third child, who was also a girl, I thought it was death for me. He hit me and threw me out at night while we slept with my three daughters. A year later, my husband brought another woman hoping that she would give him male children. Unfortunately, she also gave birth to a girl. After seeing that she was also giving birth to a girl, she decided to lie to her husband that it was me he had bewitched. I was beaten until my left arm broke. He refused to take me to the hospital, saying that he didn't need me. The local authorities forced him to take me there, where I stayed for two months.

Back home, I noticed that there was misunderstanding between my husband and his second wife. My neighbor told me that his wife accused him of being HIV/AIDS positive, and that's why she wanted to leave the house with all her belongings and leave her daughter with her father. After she left, I took the child back. My husband refused to seek treatment and committed suicide. Now I live peacefully with my three daughters and the daughter of my husband’s second wife.

On September 23-24, 2025 FFWA organized a two-day trauma healing workshop in Musenyi in Rutana Commune.

My name is Dorcas. and I'm from UVIRA. I worked in the gender service before the war. When the war broke out, people brought us girls and women who had been raped. It was truly very sad. One day, six rebels from M23 came to our house. Three of them captured my husband and took him away, while the other three stayed on top of me, sexually assaulting me. I was two months pregnant and had a miscarriage during this act of violence. I suffered a profuse hemorrhage and lost consciousness. Thanks to Médecins Sans Frontières, I was rescued along with my three children, and they took me to Cibitoke here in Burundi. I received medical care at the health center in the Cishemère site. For now, I'm living with the complications of this violence, both mentally and physically. During my menstrual period, I experience unbearable pain and dizziness that I never felt before. As for my husband, I haven't heard from him. The children always ask me where their father is, and I don't have an answer. I take some time away to isolate myself and grieve.

Thank you to Friends Women's Association for this trauma healing workshop and the other activities you organize. I am comforted and still have hope. This shows me that refugees from the DRC are not alone in their situation during the war, but that you are with us.

My name is Blonde, I come from Goma, very close to Goma airport. I used to sell vegetables. Before the war, I went to the village to buy vegetables to sell. One day, halfway through, I encountered five M23 rebels and found myself in their midst. They took all my money and took me into the bush by force.

They forcefully inserted their fingers into my genitals, which was very painful. They then used an empty plastic water bottle as a means of pleasure for themselves, as their genitals weren't ready for forced intercourse. My arms and legs were tied up, and my mouth was bandaged to prevent any screams. All of this was done as a form of entertainment for them.

Arriving home traumatized, both physically and mentally, I kept the secret. This was before the recent war broke out, for fear of being rejected by my husband. When my husband and I made love, I felt unbearable pain, but I always kept it a secret. After a few months, the war broke out and intensified until we left home. During the escape, I was separated from my child and my husband, and I was left with only one child, as I had two. We ended up at the Rwandan border, and before arriving there, we were caught in the middle of soldiers without understanding whether they were from the government or rebels. They raped us using their genitals, their fingers, and the bottles, again, for two days, before being released to continue our escape.

Arriving in Rwanda, I continued to Tanzania, then returned to Burundi via Muyinga. I ended up at the Musenyi site in Rutana. To make matters worse, I was pregnant, and I didn't know by whom, not even my husband. I now have a beautiful two-week-old daughter, and I praise the Lord God. I became pregnant here in the camp and gave birth safely with the help of the health workers. I have no information about my husband and my eldest son, and it traumatizes me greatly. But this workshop gives me hope. Here, we are twenty different victims of violence, and I am not alone. The time taken to listen to us and give us this opportunity to express ourselves is an important support in our healing process. Here, it is not just twenty people, but many more. If possible, FWA could take the time to listen to all of us and hold this kind of workshop every week to reach more people. Thank you.

Recommendations

1. Strengthen psychosocial support: home visits, monthly group sessions, individual follow-up for serious cases (depression, suicide risk).

2. Create savings and credit groups (SHGs): stimulate solidarity and initiate income-generating activities (crafts, sewing, trade, and other opportunities).

3. Launch practical training (productive skills) combined with material support (production kits, microcredits).

4. Coordinate with health services (WHO Burundi mobile clinic) to provide post-rape care, mental health, and medical treatment.

5. Raise community awareness: combat stigma and promote zero tolerance for violence.

6. Train community outreach workers in psychological first aid to detect at-risk cases early.

7. Allocate a minimum budget of three months to ensure follow-up, Income generating activities (IGA), and home visits.

8. Monitoring and evaluation: This workshop requires follow-up: consider home visits, group meetings to assess the application of the techniques learned.

• FWA_SEPTEMBER_2025_NARRATIVE_REPORT.doc (DOC)

Written by: Parfaite Ntahuba

Reviewed by:

Edited by: Rosalie Dance

Proofread by: Peter Clay

Country: Burundi

Link to photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YjPapXDaK3Z8k4sdCKuXgZ0dhH_ilbEd?usp=sharing

FRIENDS WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

MAY 2025 NEWS

Friends Women’s Association (FWA) in Burundi is very active each month, at Ntaseka Clinic and beyond, reaching out into the community.

Caring for HIV Positive Peopleis essential.  In the month of May, medical follow-up and home visits were done for our HIV positive people.  Food (Rice and beans) was given to our HIV positive beneficiaries.

Ntaseka Clinic’s Maternity Ward building provides baby delivery care and hospitalization services.  However, the Ntaseka maternity ward is still in need of some medical equipment.

Improving Women’s Reproductive Health is one of our important goals. FWA staff and FWA community health workers have continued to educate both men and women on the importance of family planning.  On May 22-24, 2025, there was a workshop on sexual and reproductive health for the FWA Self-Help Groups’ (SHG) members.  There were 30 participants in each session, and the facilitators were 2 medical staff and 2 SHG guides.

The objective of the workshop sessions was to improve the activities of FWA Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and raise awareness among SHG members about the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services available at the Ntaseka Health Center.

The workshops provided an opportunity to:

• Present FWA's mission, vision, and objectives.
• Promote access to health services offered by the Ntaseka clinic.
• Increase awareness of the structure and functioning of SHGs.
• Encourage peaceful conflict resolution within groups.
• Strengthen collaboration between members and support workers and FWA staff.
• Organize a specific session on family planning, with clear explanations of the available methods, their effectiveness, and the possibility of personalized support at the health center.

Stories from workshop participants

1. Rosine, 28 years old: "When women manage the money in an account themselves, it becomes worrying."

2. Aimée, 32 years old: "Before this session, I didn't know that modern methods of contraception were available here. Now I feel ready to discuss them with my husband."

3. Solange, 30 years old: "Thanks to the explanations, I understood that I can choose the method that suits me. I will go to the Ntaseka CDS for a consultation."

Results Achieved from the workshop:

• Members understood FWA's mission and services.
• A better understanding of how Self-Help Groups (SHGs) operate was observed.
•  Participants expressed strong interest in family planning services, highlighting the lack of prior information.
• Discussions revealed concrete needs: mutual health insurance, mechanisms for access to care, and support for Income Generating Activities capital.
• An atmosphere of trust was established between members, support workers, and FWA staff.

General recommendations we concluded from the workshop outcomes and discussions:

1. Consider establishing a mutual health insurance scheme for FWA SHGs at Ntaseka.

2. Regularly integrate Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) awareness sessions into Self-Help Group meetings, particularly family planning.

4. Evaluate the possibility of credit-based care or solidarity rates for SHG members.

5. Organize a community discussion on Self-Help Groups’ governance, particularly the collective management of funds.

6. Establish a flexible capital reinvestment mechanism for women engaged in income-generating activities.

7. Train more Self-Help Groups’ ambassadors on reproductive health issues to disseminate information within the groups.

The Self-Help Groups are established under the care of FWA’s RAPE SURVIVORS’ SUPPORT (RSS).  RSS now has 63 SHGs. In the month of May, they evaluated 2 of the groups and found that both were active and none of the members were impeded by illness. The total amount of money saved by these two groups was 6,800,000 BuF. The total credit granted was 8,000,000 BuF and the interest they paid in May was 5,220,000 BuF. (2,940 Burundi francs is approximately equivalent to 1 USD in late June 2025.)

The following is a success story from a woman who joined a Self-Help Group when she was invited by a friend.

From Dependence to Leadership / A Journey with FWA

“My name is Violette, since joining FWA in 2017, my life has been completely transformed. Before that, I was an educated woman but unemployed, struggling with depression and entirely dependent on my husband for everything. I had knowledge but no direction, and I felt powerless.

A turning point came when a friend invited me to join the UMOJA self-help group. At the time, the group was facing serious challenges: weak leadership, a lack of transparency in financial management, and a culture of fear in which members felt silenced. The leaders intimidated us whenever we voiced our concerns, and it became clear that change was urgently needed.

I dared to speak out and demand changes within the group. I sought mediation from the support group's facilitators. Although this intervention came a little late, it led to the election of new committee members. I volunteered as a secretary, a role that marked the beginning of my leadership journey.

 Through FWA’s training and guidance, I learned how to manage a savings group, support other women, and handle criticism. I worked hard to promote transparency: now, every member knows who has outstanding loans, and all financial transactions are documented and reviewed weekly. Each week, a different member records our group's savings, keeping everyone informed and involved.

These changes significantly reduced conflicts in our group and increased trust and participation. As a result, members are now saving more money.

Personally, FWA helped me find my path, take responsibility, and become a confident and courageous leader. I was able to put my training into practice, and I now lead fearlessly.

Most importantly, I have achieved financial independence. I can provide for my family and no longer depend on my husband for everything. The Street Business (SBS) training encouraged us not to be afraid of work, even if it seems insignificant or socially despised. I was ashamed to carry a basket on my head to sell avocados. Today, I run a small avocado business, even traveling to Congo to expand my market. With the income I’ve earned, I have been able to furnish my home, and my husband is proud of me.

Due to FWA, I am now a woman who leads with confidence, supports others, and builds a better future for herself and her family”.

FWA’s RSS (Rape Survivor’s Support) has a goal to eliminate Gender-Based Violence (GBV).  In the month of May, a HROCworkshop on trauma healing was organized in Maramvya for victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).  The HROC workshop was held May 28-30,

Here is the story of one woman from the HROC GBV workshop.

“My name is Esperance; I am a domestic violence survivor. I am currently separated from my husband after a fatal assault that forced me to file for divorce for my safety and that of my children.

The violence began following a disagreement over a piece of land we had purchased together. My husband wanted to sell it, but I disagreed with his decision. This disagreement escalated into a terrifying incident.

On the night of the assault, everything seemed normal. We had communicated well during the day and even shared a meal together. Later that night, I fall asleep, unaware of what was about to happen. While I was half asleep, my husband covered my nose and mouth with a sheet in an attempt to suffocate me. At first, I thought He was playing, as usual. But then he said words I will never forget: "You refused to let me sell my land; I will sell it when you are no longer here." It was then that I realized that my life was in danger. I immediately tried to get up and saw my husband holding a knife. As I tried to run away, He stabbed me in the back. My noise woke our children, who rushed to my aid, screamed for help, and managed to stop him and took the knife.  I was rushed to the hospital with my injuries. My husband was arrested and imprisoned following the incident.

 After recovering physically and emotionally, I filed for divorce and now live independently with my children.

This experience was deeply traumatic. It left lasting marks on my life, signs of trauma that continue to affect certain aspects of my behavior. As it was mentioned during the workshop, I finally had the opportunity to take a step back, to look into the past and identify the root causes of some of my actions. This moment of reflection allowed me to better understand my experiences and to begin a true journey of healing.”

• FWA_MAY_2025_WEBSITE_NARRATIVE_REPORT.doc (DOC)