Joy and Self-Reliance: Women After the Genocide

During the genocide, thousands of women were raped as a mechanism of ethnic cleansing. As a result, many of these women are now living all over Rwanda with HIV/AIDS. While the government works to provide support to meet the health and physical needs of these women, many of them are left in desolation without families or a sense of self-reliance. Often, they suffer from the effects of experiencing great loss, and they seek retaliation for what happened to their husbands, families, and friends.

PFR has responded to the devastation of Rwanda’s women by introducing the concepts of reconciliation, forgiveness, empowerment, and self-reliance into an innovative program for 35 widows with HIV/AIDs. This program is built on the model of the cooperative, which creates opportunities for income-generating activities, self-sufficiency, and interpersonal cooperation. The women served by PFR are divided into 5 groups of 7 women each. Each group has regular meetings, works together to create handicraft goods, shares the income generated by the group’s members, and maintains a bank account.

To date, the women have specialized in making baskets (particularly peace baskets and picnic baskets), purses, placemats, jewelry, and photo frames. They sell these products in both domestic and overseas markets. 10 women are now learning to sew, and thanks to a recent shipment of 24 donated sewing machines - compliments of Katy Lee, PFR’s summer intern, and Tools for Self-Reliance – PFR now hopes to teach more women how to make fine sewn goods! These goods include: purses, laptop cases, backpacks, shopping bags, school uniforms for disadvantaged children, aprons, toiletry bags, slippers, and scarves.

The women have demonstrated a keen dedication to the cooperative, and they are always so joyful when they come to the office. PFR continues to work to develop and expand the program for the widows, as it has already met with notable success. The staff is focusing on teaching the women new crafts, improving the marketability of the goods presently crafted by the women, and expanding the number and type of markets interested in these goods.

What can you do to participate?

*Purchase something that the women make! It doesn’t matter where in the world you are. Whether it’s a beautiful homemade basket or purse, you will be partaking in the lives of these wonderful women and helping their cooperatives grow! If you are interested in any of the items listed in the above article, please contact info@pfrwanda.org. [Just a hint: These items make perfect Christmas gifts!]

*Pray for these 35 women, that they will experience the goodness and grace of God; that they will continue to have the strength, patience, and persistence to make the products that they need to make; and that they will work well together in groups.

*Pray for new markets for the women, that they will be able to generate more income.

*Suggest possible buyers for the products the women make, whether they are individuals, shops, local boutiques, restaurants, or hotels that you know might be interested. These buyers can be anywhere in the world – no limits! Please contact info@pfrwanda.org if you have any suggestions.

*Donate fabrics, materials, or other items that the women might be able to use given their growing skill set. PFR would greatly appreciate it!