Helping Girls and Young Women in Bujumbura Slum

“My name is Claire, this program has been very beneficial to me and family. My husband is alcoholic, every day he comes home drunk. I have suffered many forms of gender-based violence.

Before coming to this training I was a woman who stays at home every day, I was ashamed to go among the others because in the neighborhood everyone knew my situation and they were pointing finger at me calling me MARUSHWA {sorrow); that made my pain worse because it was easy to support my husband but knowing that everyone knows my situation has become unbearable for me.

I thank FWA with all my heart because if FWA didn't exist I don't know where I would be now. FWA healed me; normal stress and traumatic stress were explained to us and I understood that if I do nothing in my life I will die sooner. I also understood in “the web of healing” that if I manage to be healed my children will also be spared from trauma.

At the end of the training I joined the savings group and I applied for a loan and started working. Until now I was able to save 37,000FBU for me it is like million because I had never had such amount of money without asking my husband or my family.

This program has increased my self-esteem. I felt capable and saw that it is possible to take care of my children financially without begging money.

At the start of the school year, I was able to buy everything I needed for my three children. I am the leader of my saving group. I was able to pay food for my family including my husband; I have stopped counting on my husband. I take him as he does not exist; this gave me peace in my heart.  When I look at myself I'm proud and I have so many plans for the future”.

“My name is Saidatte, I suffered too much in my marriage and I decided to leave my husband after 17 years. Before coming to the training I was so much traumatized and I did not know it. I was able to understand that the violence I suffered had great consequences in my life: I became an irresponsible woman. Alcohol was my best friend; I was even a street beggar. I started to sell cooked corn. But I could not prepare them because of the alcohol.

I thank the one who invited me because after training I was able to change because she remained close to me advising me. Now, you also see that I am a woman like others ; I laugh, I wash my clothes I do a small business which makes us live me and my children. In my head I feel peace and I am among the other women in the savings group. Being with others helps me a lot because I feel like I have value too”.

• Global_Giving_December_2021_Narrative_Report.doc (DOC)