She sits in the shade of a tree with half a dozen of other women; most of them were raped during the genocide that killed 800.000 Tutsi's and moderate Hutu's. “This socio-therapy group was an eye opener. I thought my case was unique, but most others have the same experience. It helped me to accept the past and move on with my life”, Immaculate adds.
Since 2005, roughly 8000 Rwandans attended socio-therapy groups. Each group comprises of 10 to 15 people and are made up of victims and perpetrators, women, married couples, youth or have a mixed make up. Under the guidance of two group leaders members discuss issues troubling them, varying from direct memories of the genocide to consequences of the traumatic experiences which manifest in violence at home or abuse of alcohol and drugs.
“Socio-therapy should be available everywhere in the country. We see the positive results. We know it helps people mentally and also contributes to the much needed reconciliation in our country”, says bishop Ngendahayo.
Rwanda is rebuilding its economy, its development and its capacity since the genocide. But the government lacks money to fund socio-therapy programmes. The past few years the Dutch organisation Cordaid funded the socio-therapy but will withdraw its sponsorship later this year.
In Mubuga, a hamlet hidden in the misty hills just south of the city Buymba, a socio-therapy group gathers in a house that also serves as a storeroom for agricultural produce. Local farmers talk about their problems. They notice the worried look on a women's face. She feels comfortable enough to explain her trouble. “I bumped into a survivor of the genocide whose family members were killed by a group of extremists in 1994. My nephew was part of the group. I fear revenge.”
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