YOUR STORIES : THE STORY OF UWINGENEYE FLORENCE

UWINGENEYE Florence is 19 years old and living in Niboye, in Gatare Cell.
In the work I do of being a mentor in the IGIRE Wiyubake, I came to know who Florence was in one of our sessions. Before she became part of the DREAMS program, she was in a state of misery and depressed to the extent that she was considering taking her own life.

These feelings of depression were a result of hurt that gradually grew with time, stemming from issues such as never knowing her mother and being kicked out by her father.

After a while of her joining the program, one day she called saying she was giving up and leaving her child too because the life she was living was unbearable. With the help of village and lower-level leaders [isibo], we reached out to her and persuaded her, and by chance, she agreed to come back, with the promise that we would cover food and housing.

At the time, after being approved by DREAMS ambassador of YWCA, through the advocating of her situation, we were able to collect enough funds to cover her housing for 2 months, food, and medical insurance (Mituelle de Santé) and offer her some guidance.

This helped soften her heart and calm her down, then she continued to return to the safe space, with me keeping a close eye on her.
As the days went on, she got more and more reasons to live. I tried to stay near her, talking with her, and helping her get health services such as getting tested for HIV and PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis).

Florence attended frequent classes in the safe space, and entered a savings and loaning group. In those who were chosen to study vocational skills, she decided to learn sewing. She was also given aid for her and her child, in the meantime while she studies.

Mentor : NIYIGENA Fausca