Programmes for Widows
The women of Rwanda suffered terribly during the genocide of 1994. Chased, beaten, brutalised, raped, slaughtered or left as widows after the madness of the 100 days, women are still struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. Survivors Fund is there to help by offering the following services to widows.
Provision of Antiretroviral HIV Drugs
SURF's response to HIV/AIDS has help develop initiatives to address HIV/AIDS issues in much of our partners' existing work. Recognising that HIV/AIDS is not simply a health issue, our approach is to try to integrate an awareness of HIV/AIDS into all of our development work and to ensure that all our interventions in both rural and urban settings take account of the impact of HIV/AIDS.
There is evidence that rape was implemented as a state policy to spread the AIDS virus as part of the wider genocide plan. Testimonies reveal that men who were HIV positive deliberately infected women. In 1998 a landmark decision by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) found rape to be an act of genocide when it is committed with the intention of destroying a particular group.
SURF works with various partners to care for women and young girls who ere deliberately infected with HIV during the genocide (through rape). SURF campaigns for access to free antiretroviral treatment for survivors, and provides medical support to reduce the effect of opportunistic infections.
AIDS Support
SURF has been assisting AVEGA since 1997 dealing with the direct and indirect effects of HIV including the trauma and stress surrounding rape and infection, medical needs and financial impact on families and children.
The project conducts awareness campaign concerning issues of sexually transmitted diseases and /HIV/AIDS. Many members know the facts about HIV transmission and there is a general increase in understanding in the population because of numerous information based prevention approaches. The project encourages women to behave responsibly, to plan for the future of their children and especially to talk to their own children. There is a strong link between this project and the Psycho-Social counselling team at AVEGA central office which receives referrals.
Seropositive women are frequently single mothers who need assistance with housing, food, schooling of children and access to medical treatment for opportunistic infections. AVEGA provides social assistance in the form of grants for food, hospitalization expenses, and assistance with funeral arrangements, repairing homes or schooling children living with HIV. A number of grants or loans to individuals have been issued to provide an income generating opportunity.
Self-Help Intiatives
SURF has aided widows in rural areas where there is less accessibility to manage their own affairs by opening two main centres to support well over 7,000 widows. The centre provides a variety of services including trauma counselling, medical support, legal representation, community outreach and provides grants and loans to increase household income.
Central to these self-help programmes are the support to HIV+ women and orphans, providing home based care, self-support groups and buddying services. These added levels of assistance provide an underpinning of aid upon which widows of the genocide can rebuild their lives.
Women's Rights and Entitlement
SURF is supporting women's rights through advocacy and legal representation. Through advocacy and lobbying, SURF's partner AVEGA is promoting peace and reconciliation and raising awareness about the reality of genocide, and through participation in the gacaca justice system.
To get involved with any of these projects, please contact our Director, Mary Kayitesi Blewitt at 020 7610 2589 or at mblewitt@survivors-fund.org.uk.