Overview
PHARP Rwanda began its
activities in 1998. The activities were aimed at bringing
about healing and reconciliation by focusing on training
leaders from groups of youth, women and pastors, who in
turn reach out to many people in their own churches
and communities.
oThe
main purpose was to create opportunity for dialogue where
people from different ethnic groups and religious
backgrounds could begin to share experiences and
sufferings and create an understanding. This led to
confessions and the offering of forgiveness between the
participants as well as the transformation of attitudes
people previously held towards one another. PHARP Rwanda
continues to share in the PHARP International’s vision,
mission and objectives.
Areas of Focus
The initial trainees in various places have gone on to train others. With PHARP's help , these youth have initiated self help activities which include sewing, goat keeping, which also help them to build stronger relationships with each other as they work towards reconciliation.
Women
As a result of the genocide in 1994, thousands of women are widows, while the husbands of thousands of other women are in prison. While both groups are living in poverty and suffering from the consequences of the genocide , Hutu and Tutsi women often struggle to live together as
neighbors . As a result of their unique traumatic experiences before, after and during the genocide, there continues to be a great deal of hate and mistrust between women in the same community. By embarking on a process of individual healing, women can in turn become actors of healing and counseling in their neighborhoods.
To continue this process of reconciliation by working together with PHARP , the associations have launched income generating activities that include : sewing ,knitting, embroidering , goat rearing and vegetable planting . In this way, the realization of individual survival as part of a communal process of economic stability is solidifying bridges of building deeper relationships and reconciliation.
Pastors
Many pastors in Rwanda are currently facing the dilemma of having both the survivors and perpetrators of the genocide in their congregations. There is a great deal of pressure on pastors to remain neutral in the face of such intense conflict and continue the work of reconciliation in their communities. Pastors and their families have been directly or indirectly affected by the genocide and its consequences and need healing themselves before healing others.
