- Nurses in Eastern DR Congo

The great strength of AFIA-FEV are the women we work together with. Their stories have touched us greatly. Here are the stories from three of the women.

The names have been changed and the picture above does not show the women, in order to protect their identity.

Nafri

I would like to tell you about the long and painful journey that I made in 2008 during the War of DR of Congo. I had left Bukavu to go to Burega and along the way, my friends and I had the bad luck of running into the Interahamwe, that violated us. My friends died but I thank God that I am still alive today.

Thanks to AFIA-FEV I know my HIV-status and I received micro credits from them. With the US. $20 I borrowed I have bought oil. Given the limited amount of money, I can not buy a whole bottle of oil. I am obliged to buy a few liters which I then resell. I earn 800 FC per week and I must repay $1.

The sum of $20 was really inadequate and I am grateful for the friends who believed in AFIAFEV and gave the WWSF prize. The prize meant that our micro-credit has increased to $40. Although this amount is unimportant today because of the blow of life, I thank the association because this sum enables me to provide for some family needs.

Christina

I lived in Walungu and specifically Kanyola. When my husband noted that the area was not safe and that the houses were visited, we decided to sell our cow so it would not be carried in the bush by the Interahamwe. That evening we received a visit to our home and my husband was severely beaten because someone was trying to watch money. Since my husband resisted, they failed to kill him. Faced with this threat I had no choice but to give them money in the hope that they would not kill us. Unfortunately after they hit my husband, they took the money and turned against me and you can imagine what they did... It's horrible to tell this, but it is necessary to break the silence and let people know about the evil they have committed.

When I met AFIA-FEV two years ago, I did not want to open myself up because I was ashamed, but as I participate in meetings about values, I realize that I am also of great importance. Beatrice had recommended me to Médecins Sans Frontières for testing. I am HIV positive, and I accept my status. I am currently in clinical care for opportunistic infections in the clinic in Bagira, where Béatrice works. I have received two loans of U.S. $20 and 40 dollars.

I sell maize flour at home. I earn 1200 FC and I repay U.S. $1 each week. I must say I'm not really satisfied because the profit is really insufficient. I wish that we had more money we could borrow. On the other hand I can support some family needs despite the difficult economic situation in the country. It is difficult if one of my children should become ill and I must repay the micro credit. When we received the money U.S. $1 was equal to 580 FC. Today we pay 850 FC to $1.

Kabu

When people ask me to tell them what AFIA-FEV means to me I would say "I was hungry and you fed me, I was without family, you welcomed me."

If I had heard about AFIA-FEV and I was brought to it by a friend. Today they are like a big family to me and what happened in the past is no longer a problem in my life because I received a family and that has helped me. I have support from the Médecins Sans Frontières for the disease and the money I leant from AFIA-FEV allows me to sell cassava flour. I would be ungrateful if I do not thank all the benefactors of AFIA-FEV. I can not complain because AFIA-FEV has done what it could, so quite simply it still finds something that it condescends to reinforce our capital. Thank you to all friends of the association AFIA-FEV.