"S.O.S. SIDA" was founded in 2002 by a group of teachers, health professionals, and development officers responding to the lack of services available to victims of AIDS and sexual violence in rural parts of South Kivu. In addition to directing three AIDS prevention programs with 28 instructors, S.O.S. SIDA now runs a center in Bukavu offering lodging and counseling to rural HIV-positive patients seeking medical care in town, and gives psychological and social aid to victims of sexual violence, who are often ostracized, to help reintegrate them into their families and communities.
The 2006 project financed by the embassy’s Democracy and Human Rights Fund, “Training in Human Rights and Self-Reliance for Women Victims of Sexual Violence in Kabare,” proceeded in two phases. First, attract participants and jumpstart their socio-economic reintegration by giving them a livelihood in agriculture. Then, make these women leaders themselves in helping victims of sexual violence.
Phase I was carried out with the distribution of hoes, spades, and corn and bean seeds to 246 women in the towns of Bugobe, Katana, and Bushwira, in November, 2006, and to 45 women in Nyantende in March 2007.
These were high visibility events, with a large banner announcing the name of the project, of the NGO, and of the donor, “Ambassade des USA.” – linking this effort with the “made in USA” cooking oil familiar to the women from humanitarian assistance distributions.
Phase I was carried out with the distribution of hoes, spades, and corn and bean seeds to 246 women in the towns of Bugobe, Katana, and Bushwira, in November, 2006, and to 45 women in Nyantende in March 2007.These were high visibility events, with a large banner announcing the name of the project, of the NGO, and of the donor, “Ambassade des USA.” – linking this effort with the “made in USA” cooking oil familiar to the women from humanitarian assistance distributions.
Left: A woman feeds her baby after receiving her grain and spade.
In Phase II, human rights workshops were held in the three towns of Kabare, Katana, and Bugobe in January and March, 2007. In all, 87 women and 17 men participated. The women were chosen among the Phase I recipients to maximize the impact of the training: they had to be literate and healthy enough to return to their villages and share their new knowledge and skills with their communities. The men were local chiefs and civic leaders, who during the course of the workshops committed to fight against sexual violence and promote women’s rights.
Right:A woman holding her new spade offers a prayer of thanksgiving for the donors (recipients will have to attach their own makeshift handle).
Right: Spades in hand, women pose behind their sacks of grain next to the truck. Note banana trees in the left background and thatched roof on the right.
The workshops were held over two days. Topics covered included a general overview of human rights, the benefits to the community of respecting women’s rights, the harmful repercussions of sexual violence, the new (2006) laws enabling prosecution of perpetrators of sexual violence. The session were lively, using presentations, question-and-answer debates, brainstorming, and/or splitting up into workgroups to work out how to best respond to victims and bring perpetrators to justice.
SOS SIDA had prepared and published a booklet, with drawings, about women's rights under the new laws, especially the ones against sexual violence.
They used this booklet in the workshops. Above is the scan of the front cover. The inset shows a woman being thrown down on the ground by soldiers.
SOS SIDA had prepared and published a booklet, with drawings, about women's rights under the new laws, especially the ones against sexual violence.
They used this booklet in the workshops. Above is the scan of the front cover. The inset shows a woman being thrown down on the ground by soldiers.More about S.O.S SIDA at http://www.cesbc.org/solidays/sossida/sossida.htm
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