FRIENDS WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION working for health, hope, and peace

Who we are…

We are an organization founded by and for Burundian women to address the unique needs of women in the conflict and post-conflict environment.

Our mission:

•Provide comprehensive, community-based health care to women and their families.

•Promote women’s empowerment and leadership.

•Strengthen peace and social solidarity.

We believe:

We believe health is a human right. We also believe that when this right is truly respected, there is hope for long-term sustainable peace in Burundi.

We focus on the whole well-being of our patients and our community, treating both their bodily needs and facilitating a process of healing from violence and trauma.

•Burundi is ranked the 4th poorest country in the world.

•The percentage of people living below the poverty line increased from 33% to 68%, from 1990 in 2004.

•The national rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Burundi is above epidemic levels. In Kamenge, where the FWA Center is located, the rate of infection is estimated to be as high as 16%.

•Burundi is one of the most overpopulated countries in Africa. The majority of Burundians live a daily struggle to survive, living often on barren land.

A little bit about Burundi:

During the war, Kamenge was on the frontlines of fierce violence. The legacy of the war in this community includes issues surrounding:

•widows and female-headed households

•orphans and vulnerable children

•displaced persons and refugees

•high rates of HIV infection

•high rates of poverty: including issues of food insecurity, lack of access to clean drinking water, lack of adequate health care

•psychosocial trauma and sexual violence

More about Kamenge:

Our services:

•Free or low cost medical exams to women and their families

•Primary and preventative care

•Laboratory testing

•HIV testing and counseling,

•Psychological counseling

•Home visits and micro-finance services

•Community trauma and reconciliation workshops

What does an average patient look like?

Our most common patient is not only living with HIV, but in poor, urban settings -- struggling to cover basic living expenses.

HIV positive individuals live in a state of vulnerability at the margins of society where they are exiled and stigmatized.

Frequently, they do not have the opportunities necessary to learn new skills and to provide for themselves and their families.

Laboratory Services:

Our lab technician provides free HIV tests, as well as low cost:

•Pregnancy tests•Rapid malaria tests•Gastro intestinal tests•Urinary tests•Hemoglobin tests

Our onsite psychologist provides pre- and post-HIV test counseling.

Our pharmacy:

We provide free medications to HIV+ patients suffering from opportunistic infections, like TB and pneumonia.

We also provide affordable, low-cost medications to anyone with a prescription.

We are currently in the process of receiving Anti-Retroviral (ARV)Treatment accreditation from the Ministry of Health allowing us to provide free ARV treatment to HIV + patients.

Trauma healing workshops:

Our Women’s Peace and Recovery Project works to provide concrete trauma healing and community reconciliation techniques to 600 participants.

These techniques help women manage debilitating mental pain, improve family relationships and increase women’s ability to work, in order to support their families.

Lack of access to healthcare, poor physical health and HIV are the primary causes of re-traumatization after violent conflict.

Meet Cecile Ngendakuriyo

“When I came to the workshop, I was feeling so bad, my heart was about to explode. I first had problems with my children, which caused me so much pain. In addition, three weeks ago my husband died. Since that day, I was always sad; I never laughed anymore or expressed any joy… I was sad all the time because I lost the one who used to help me in everything.

But when I started coming to the workshop, what we learned helped me so much. I feel better now. I even started to laugh again. I feel released. Thank you very much for coming, I hope and ask you to come more often.”

Trauma Healing Workshop Participant

Why micro-finance?

Poverty is one of the primary challenges to individuals reintegrating into communities after conflict. A person living in poverty has little or no access to housing, nutrition, clothing, healthcare or education.

We launched our micro-finance program in an attempt to address these issues, and to improve the holistic health of the woman.

Currently our micro-finance program supports 18 of our HIV+ beneficiaries. Our goals is to extend this to all 300+ of our patients living with HIV.

In our pilot project, participants reported

doubling their monthly earnings,

improving self-esteem,

and experiencing less discrimination

as they established themselves as

business people.

Meet Marie-Rose Ntahomvukiye

Marie-Rose is a 60-year-old woman with 5 children. After her husband died in 2004, she tested positive for HIV. When she discovered her status, she became depressed -- often staying in her room.

“It was very, very difficult for me to think of work because I believed that what was left for me was only death… I had no more appetite, but also, in order to eat, I had to wait for my children to bring me something because I did not produce anything.”

“The microfinance project came to me like a miracle from God, because I have a neighbor who helped me to work. We gathered our money and together we started a project selling coal….

Per month, we can gain a profit of approximately 80,000 FBU ($63 USD)... Because of this I can say that thanks to the microfinance project my life has completely changed: today I have an occupation, I spend my day at the work site, I have friends at work who accompany me and encourage me day by day, and I no longer feel depressed.”

- Marie-Rose Ntahomvukiye

We hope you’ll join us by making a donation to support our mission and to reach even more women like Cecile and Marie-Rose.

Visit www.fwaburundi.com/supportus

Or, send a check to:

African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI)With “Friends Women’s Association” onthe memo line.1001 Park Avenue St. Louis, MO 63104, USA

Need help? Or just want to chat about FWA’s work? Contact Leah Hazard at lhazard@fwaburundi.com

@FWAburundi

facebook.com/FWAburundi

And keep in touch!

Thank you! Merci! Murakoze cane!