At 34, “Anita” (name changed for privacy), a mother of four who fled her home in Rutshuru (outside Goma) when conflict broke out. Seeking safety, she settled with her family in a refugee camp on the outskirts of Goma.  But even in this place of “refuge”, hardship and danger followed her.

To support her children, Anita began doing small jobs around the camp. One day, while her children were away, she was brutally attacked and raped. “We had been told in the camp that if something like this happened, we should talk to the women leaders,” she recalls.

Anita bravely reported the assault. The camp leaders promptly contacted HEAL Africa, which mobilized their response team who met her and transported her to the hospital, where she received emergency care and medication free of charge. But the care didn’t stop there.

“I was also assigned a psychologist who supported me through several weeks of trauma counselling. Those sessions changed my life.”

The consequences of sexual violence were devastating. Fear, stigma, and hopelessness consumed her. “I used to cry whenever someone brought it up. My husband left me after the incident. I felt so alone.” But her psychologist equipped her with tools to cope, relaxation techniques, and singular tasks like walking, singing, and dancing which helped her to find joy and meaning again in her life.

“I have a flash disc with music I love. When I feel stressed, I dance. That helps me relax and put these events behind me”

What began as a journey of pain became a story of restoration. “Today, I am healed because I can tell my story without breaking down. I’ve even supported another woman who went through the same thing. She’s now like a sister to me.”

Anita learned that healing isn’t just physical. With counselling, she overcame deep depressions and even suicidal thoughts and began to see her worth again. “My children need a healthy mother. I now know that my life matters.”

“I wondered what I would have done if HEAL Africa had not helped me. Truly, they were the heart of my healing. I thank God for them.” She remains deeply thankful to HEAL Africa not only for the medical care and counselling but also for the sense of dignity and worth. “I feel whole again and seen and valued as a woman.”