YEGO staff identified two women’s stories we have a lot to learn from. Thanks to their trauma healing, resilience, endurance, creativity, love of justice, stamina and hard work, they were able to make a great difference in their homes, zones and communities. This is the story of one of those women.
Ruth is 55 years old and a survivor of the 1994 Genocide. During the Genocide, she lost her husband, three children and her siblings. She was raped and infected with AIDS. She later had a boyfriend, and they had a daughter Berthe. Ruth decided not to marry him but to remain single and raise her daughter.
Ruth got in touch with YEGO and participated in the first healing retreat. It was decided to support Ruth with counselling and food and provide her daughter with educational support.
Ruth sold tomatoes on the streets out of her basket to make a living. But as this is illegal, she could not continue doing this. She also attempted making envelops out of old journals to sell them to shoppers. This business wasn’t sustainable because of stiff competition. Later she lost her capital. As the situation was getting out of hand, in consultation with her daughter, she decided to start a new business of charcoal selling. But Ruth did not have the capital.
Her daughter Berthe, who has been part of YEGO’s therapeutic music and dance program, saved all the money she received as support for transportation. She made her savings over two years on her account and was able to rescue her mother. She gave her mother 20,000frs ($27 CAD). Ruth then began her charcoal business, selling bits of charcoal out of a big bag.
Now, after 7 months, Ruth is selling charcoal out of 10 bags. Now they have what they need but still need some counselling support and school fees for Berthe.
Ruth selling charcoal
$27 CAD helped Ruth’s family become self-sufficient. If you would like to help families like Ruth’s, click here to learn how.