In Rwanda, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) needs outstrip the capacity of available professionals and the service care provision is hindered by cultural barriers associated with one-on-one therapy approach. Interpeace trains clinical psychologists and mental health nurses to implement a group-based approach, “Resilience-oriented therapy”, at the grassroots level.
The Great Lakes Region has been plagued by instability, conflict, and war which affects peaceful cohabitation and cross-border collaboration. This video provides insights into how young people from Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are championing incredible initiatives that promote social cohesion and cross-border dialogue for peace.
Having long been plagued by instability, conflict, and war, the people of the Great Lakes region remain steadfast in their pursuit of peace. With this objective in mind, young people from Rwanda, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi met for three days in Kigali from 11 to 13 December for a workshop organised by Interpeace and its local partners, namely Pole Institute and Action pour la Paix et la Concorde (APC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Centre d’Alerte et de Prévention des Conflits (CENAP) in Burundi, Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle (VJN) and Never Again Rwanda in Rwanda. This workshop was part of the ‘Cross-border Dialogue and Youth Empowerment for Peace in the Great Lakes Region’ programme. The aim was to exchange ideas on peace initiatives led by young innovators and peace fellows supported by the programme.
In January 2021, the Great Lakes programme was launched, comprising two initiatives: the “Youth Innovation Lab for Peace (YouthLab)” and “Cross-border Dialogue for Peace in the Great Lakes Region: Phase III.” These projects receive funding from the European Union and Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC). By working collaboratively, they have instigated significant positive changes among young people. The programme serves as a platform for youth to express their creativity, innovation, ambition, and collaborative spirit in advancing peace. The stories and testimonials you are about to read feature the programme’s short-term impact, reinforcing the belief that lasting peace in the region can be achieved by empowering young individuals in the peacebuilding process.
By Mohamed Eid, Project Manager, Media Ink
My journey in the field of peacebuilding began with the stark realisation that women's concerns were often overlooked. This reality is evident in my hometown, Beledweyne, the capital city of Hiiraan State. For far too long, Beledweyne women endured marginalisation and exclusion from active participation in peacebuilding initiatives despite their crucial roles in conflict prevention and peace cultivation.
I have been working under the consortium of the Miisaan programme, which seeks to enhance locally informed transitional justice processes in Somalia and Somaliland. Our baseline study revealed a disheartening statistic: a complete absence of women's voices in the discourse of peace. The roadblocks to women’s participation were evident: patriarchal institutions, cultural and religious norms, armed conflict and insecurity, and intra-household dynamics all played a significant role. Recognising the importance of cultural and religious norms was key to promoting women’s involvement in peacebuilding. By fostering dialogue and understanding, we aimed to bridge the gap between tradition and gender inclusion. Women’s participation is not a threat to cultural or religious values but a means to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of peace initiatives.
Driven by this revelation, the Miisaan consortium took action. We launched a radio programme in Beledweyne dedicated to promoting peace and advocating for women's inclusion in peacebuilding. These radio programmes were designed to educate, raise awareness, and inspire women to participate in conflict resolution initiatives actively. Initially, many women believed conflict resolution was a duty assigned exclusively to men, but the radio programmes gradually changed this perception.
Our engagement efforts initially faced a challenge: a lack of women’s participation and response. However, we persevered, and we observed a remarkable shift over a six-month period. Women’s participation increased from less than 5% to 17%, surging to 25% in the subsequent half-year. The correlation was clear: as we broadcasted more radio programmes, more women stepped forward to join the conversations using the SMS platform.
In my seven years of working in this field, this was an unprecedented change. It marked the first time I witnessed women who were both eager and more receptive to taking an active role in peacebuilding. We initially attempted to collect their opinions through traditional focus group discussions, which, unfortunately, did not yield the desired level of engagement from women. However, when we shifted to the SMS platform as our primary mode of communication, we observed a remarkable transition. This shift underscored the power of text messages to directly engage and empower women in our peacebuilding efforts, leading to a significant increase in their active participation.
This transformation is a testament to the power of dialogue through text messages and its potential to drive advocacy. As we continue with the Miisaan programme, we anticipate further progress. We expect to see a continued increase in women's participation in peacebuilding initiatives, which will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in reducing conflicts and fostering lasting peace.
The 2018 Rwanda Mental Health Survey conducted by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) highlighted that the trauma from the Genocide committed against the Tutsi is transmitted from parents to children, including those born after that tragic period. The study has revealed that 27.4% of young Rwandans aged between 14 and 25 suffer from some psychological disorders, including trauma, depression, anxiety, fear, and social isolation. Yet, a few specialists and practitioners are focusing on child and adolescent mental health in the country.
Julien Ishimwe, 20, experienced deep trauma and social isolation for over 15 years. His parents are both survivors of the Genocide. During the annual Genocide commemoration period that usually lasts three months from the 7th of April, he could see his parents’ mental well-being affected by the worst memories of the atrocities they experienced. Growing up, Ishimwe developed hatred and resentment against genocide perpetrators and their descendants. He would not socialise with them as he considered them the worst enemies.
“I hated them so much, as I imagined they were the cause of my parents’ suffering. It was hurting me to see how my parents have suffered the consequences of the Genocide,” narrates Julien, who adds, “I felt a lot of anger when I saw how children of Genocide perpetrators are happy with their grandparents, uncles, and aunties, while I don’t even know how mine looked like,” deplored Ishimwe.
His trauma also affected his school performance. In class, he would avoid as much as he could sitting alongside or playing with someone he suspected was a descendant of a Genocide perpetrator. “I was obliged to attend school because my parents forced me to. I felt discouraged to study when I looked around and noticed that descendants of genocide perpetrators outnumber us. I feared they would kill me as their parents killed my grandparents.” He added, “I had lost my self-esteem and thinking that after graduation, they would get a better job than me.”
Charlotte Mukanyindo, Ishimwe’s mother, worried much about her son, who liked to isolate himself from his siblings. “He would barely talk to us or play with his siblings. He was always angry and bitter. That was a shock to me seeing how my son is suffering, yet I didn’t know how to help him,” she explained.
Ishimwe started the healing journey when he joined one of the Sociotherapy groups created in Mukamira Sector, Nyabihu District, Western Province, as part of Interpeace’s holistic peacebuilding and societal healing programme present in five districts, namely Nyabihu, Musanze, Nyamagabe, Ngoma and Nyagatare. With financial support from the Government of Sweden and implemented with local partners: Haguruka, Prison Fellowship Rwanda and Dignity in Detention, the programme addresses mental health issues, promotes social cohesion, supports psychological rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners and improves livelihoods.
The group Ishimwe joined brought together young people from both families of Genocide survivors and Genocide perpetrators to encourage them to engage in discussion about the history and the Genocide and help each other to heal.
The youth-only sociotherapy healing group enabled Ishimwe to heal, overcome hatred and develop strong bonds with those he once hated. “Today, I feel happy and at ease with everyone, including those I hated. Today, many of my friends are descendants of genocide perpetrators. Thanks to Sociotherapy healing dialogues, I learnt that I should not judge them by the crimes of their parents. Through sharing testimonies and life experiences, I discovered they have also suffered trauma, shame, and guilt over their parents’ crimes. The only way to overcome this is to develop friendship and build our future together,” he explains.
Ishimwe has regained interest in pursuing his studies. As he awaits to join university, he has started to take technical and vocational skills courses. His mother, Mukanyindo, could not believe how Ishimwe had changed for the better. “It is a miracle. I could not believe how he had become friendly and sociable and willing to take up any economic activity.”
Ishimwe is among 327 young people from families of genocide survivors and genocide perpetrators who graduated from Sociotherapy Healing Dialogues in June 2023. The community-based healing groups stimulate mutual healing and create a solid foundation for reconciliation. Since the inception of the societal healing programme in October 2020, more than 3450 young people have been reached.
The programme also works with the Ministry of Health through Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) to strengthen the national mental health system by training mental health professionals and providing equipment which enables them to reach communities in remote areas.
