By Parfaite Ntahuba | Project Leader
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:
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:
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.”
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