Studies show that many Rwandans struggle with mental health issues, worsened by high demand, limited number of professionals, funding shortages, and stigma. Interpeace collaborates with the Ministry of Health through Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) to implement “Resilience-Oriented Therapy,” a group-based intervention in health centres and hospitals. This approach helps to decentralise mental health services to grassroot communities and effectively addresses PTSD, depression, anxiety, and borderline personality disorders while strengthening participants' resilience.

A family is the foundation of any society. In Rwanda, the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi shattered family structures and disrupted family life and cohesion. Interpeace has introduced a group-based psychosocial intervention known as Multifamily Healing Spaces (MFHS) to address intergenerational trauma and enhance family harmony. The MFHS have proven to be highly effective in resolving intrafamily conflicts, enhancing communication and problem-solving skills, promoting positive parenting, and building family cohesion and resilience. 

This study explores the psychosocial factors and effects of adolescent pregnancies in Rwanda, identifying them as a critical public health and social concern that greatly affects young women and their communities. It also examines the negative consequences of adolescent pregnancies on family harmony and peace within communities and proposes comprehensive psychosocial support for adolescent mothers.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Bridges to Peace: Foundations of Healing and Resilience, a journal dedicated to exploring the transformative work of Interpeace and our partners in Rwanda. In this first issue, we embark on a journey to unravel the core values and impactful initiatives that define our mission of fostering peace, resilience, and social cohesion.   

At Interpeace, we believe in the power of collaborative effort and community‑driven solutions to address our society's deep‑seated challenges. This publication serves as a cornerstone for understanding our approach, offering insights into our programmes, method‑ ologies, and the profound impact we strive to achieve in Rwanda. As you delve into these pages, you will encounter a blend of empirical research, personal stories, and expert analysis that showcases our commitment to creating positive change. Each section is crafted to provide not only a comprehensive understanding of our interventions but also to inspire reflection and engagement.

We hope you will enjoy the read and look forward to your feedback and to sharing our ongoing progress with you in the issues to come.

This report outlines the findings of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) that assessed how effective multi-family healing spaces (MFHS) were at increasing family resilience, community trust, and individual healing. The RCT rigorously tested and measured the impact of this culturally adapted intervention in a number of different Rwandan communities affected by the genocide against the Tutsi. The MFHS programme was launched by Interpeace in collaboration with Prison Fellowship Rwanda, Haguruka, and Dignity in Detention and implemented with the support of the Rwandan government. It was funded by the Government of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).

MFHS have been proven strongly effective in resolving intrafamily conflicts, enhancing communication and problem-solving skills and building family cohesion and resilience. It is also effective in addressing intergenerational trauma through parent-child dialogues and promoting positive parenting.