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)