Emeliene
Before I joined the healing group, I lived with constant unrest and had no hope for the future.
I grew up in a family marked by conflict, and although we had enough resources, I dropped out of school.
Later, I got married, hoping for a fresh start, but my marriage brought even greater hardship. My husband neither provided for our family nor helped cultivate the land. Instead, he sold the crops I worked so hard to grow and gave me nothing to care for our children.
I lived without peace, joy, or security. The conflicts I had known throughout my childhood followed me into my own home, and I was constantly burdened by the suffering my children endured.
Eventually, I made the difficult decision to leave my home in Gatsibo District and move to Kirehe because I feared my husband would kill me. I left everything behind in search of safety and peace. Life in Kirehe was extremely difficult. I had no house, no land, and my children and I struggled to survive. I felt inferior. I often spoke harshly to my children, calling them worthless. I felt lower than the dead.
In January 2024, Community Healing Assistants reached out and explained the healing program. At the time, I was planning to return to Gatsibo, but I stayed to see what this group was about. In the group, I found joy I hadn’t felt in years. I began to sleep peacefully. I stopped using harsh words with my children. I let go of discouraging thoughts and beliefs such as that I am “cursed” or “unlucky.” I started to feel alive again.
During the 15-week journey, I began to cultivate calmness within myself. I started to be patient with life’s challenges, and I learned humility and how to relate better to others. Now, my children and I sit together, talk, and plan for a better future.
I also began to believe in myself. Even though I’m older, I now see a bright future ahead. I’m committed to sending my children to school, something I hadn’t imagined before. All the love I never received, the joy I missed, I now strive to give those to my children.
Hearing stories from neighbors who had suffered even more than I had helped me see my own strength.
Today, I have peace, confidence, and purpose. I feel like I’m growing up again, regardless of my age. I’ve let go of resentment toward family and friends who hurt me. I’ve discovered inner strength and a renewed sense of hope. What I once expected from others, I now strive to achieve myself with my children by my side.
One exercise that helped me was the 4-4-6-2 movement—alternating hands left and right. When I do it, I feel strength, peace, and confidence returning. It’s as if I’m gathering all that was lost before- my education, my broken marriage, my peace- and reclaiming it. I enjoy this exercise more than I can explain.
Emeliene
Ntaraza mu itsinda rya Imenye Wigire, sinari ntuje, nta kizere cy' ubuzima bw’ejo hazaza nari mfite. Nabiterwaga n’ubuzima bw’amakimbirane navukiyemo, nkanabushakiramo. Byatumaga numva ntacyo nteze kuzamara ku isi.
Navukiye mu muryango urimo amakimbirane, iwacu nakuriye mu buzima bugoye kandi atari ukubura n'ubushobozi. Natsindiye kujya mu mashuri yisumbuye ariko nkiga ntafite ituze. Genocide irangiye sinasubiye mu ishuri kubera nubundi amakimbirane y’iwacu maze mva mu ishuri gutyo.
Nyuma, naje kugera igihe cyo gushaka ariko urugo ntirwampiriye. Nubundi nisanze muri ya makimbirane, kubana n’umugabo byarangoye, muri urwo rugo nahahuriye n’ibibazo birenze ubwenge bwanjye. Sinigeze nambara umwenda nguriwe numugabo, abana 3 twabyaranye ntanumwe uzi umwenda we kandi twari dufite ubutunzi. Ntiyahingaga nibyo mpinze akaba ariwe ubigurisha ntampeho namacye. Sinigeze mbaho ntuje, ntekanye, cyangwa nishimye kuko iwacu hari amakimbirane ngiye niwanjye biba uko, noneho nkanababazwa nuko ntize amashuri.
Nyuma, naje gutafa umwanzuro mva mukarere ka Gatsibo nza mu karere ka Kirehe. Nataye urugo rwanjye atari uko ntashaka kubaka ahubwo nashakaga amahoro kuko iyo nguma ku mugabo yari kuzanyica.
Kirehe narahageze ubuzima biranga nta nzu, nta sambu, abana babaho nabi. Nabonaga umugore n'umugabo nkababara, bansuhuza nkabihorera. Naziraga umukire hamwe numuntu wize kuko njye ntabashije kubigeraho. Abana banjye narabatukaga nkababwira nabi ko ari abase yewe numvaga ndutwa n’uwapfuye. Icyambuzaga ituze kurusha ibindi ni ukubona narakennye kandi narasize imitungo, kuba ntarize no kuba abana banjye babayeho nabi.
Mu kwezi Kwa 1 gushira muri 2024 nibwo abubatsi b'amahoro banganirije bansobanurira ibya matsinda ya Imenye Wigire. Muri icyo gihe nari mfite gahunda yo gusubira muri Gatsibo; ariko mba ndetse ngo ndebe amaherezo ya Imenye Wigire, kwimuka mbivamo. Mu itsinda nahagiriye ibihe byiza, naganiriye n’abandi ntangira kwishima kandi sinishimaga, nahoraga mbabaye. Ubu nsigaye ryama nkasinzira, amagambo mabi ndayareka nkajya bwira abana neza, amagambo aca intege ngo ndayareka, kumva ko njye nta mugisha cyangwa amahirwe nabona sinongeye kubitekereza.
Nkimara guhabwa ikiganiro cy'ituze natangiye kwiremamo ituze. Bagenzi banjye baransangije niga ko ngomba gutuza nkiha amahoro kandi nkihanganira ibibazo. Kugira ituze kumutima byamfashije guca bugufi niga kubana n’abantu neza by’umwihariko abana banjye sinongeye kubabwira nabi kuko ubu dusigaye twicarana tukaganira tugapanga uko tugomba gukora tukazagira ubuzima bwiza tubigizemo uruhare.
Naje kwiremamo ikizere, numva hari byinshi nzageraho nubwo nkuze ariko mfite icyizereko hari ubundi buzima bwiza nzabamo. Numva birangiye abana ngiye kubakura mu ishuri ariko mumezi macye twahawe ibiganiro nahise nigaruramo ikizere ubu abana banjye bagomba kuziga kugeza muri kaminuza amashuri ntize, urukundo ntabonye, ibyishimo nabuze, ngomba kubiha abana banjye. Ubu nsigaje nkunda abantu, nize kuko mbafatiraho urugero nkabona ko abana banjye nabo baziga, nsigaye nkunda abakire nkanaganira nabo kuko bambera urugero rwiza bakantera, ishyaka.
Ikiganiro cy’igiti cy’ubuzima cyanyigishije kumenya ko bagenzi banjye bababaye kundusha, ariko nkabona ko bo bakomeye maze kajya mbibigiraho. Iki kiganiro cyamfashije kwibonamo no kubana neza na bagenzi banjye. Buri gice cy’igiti cyangiriye umumaro nsigaye nigisha abana banjye nkabasobanirira igiti cy' ubuzima. Ubu nsigaye mfite ikizere, ituze, numva nzagera kuri byinshi cyane ntitaye kumyaka mfite. Intego nyinshi cyane, ndakuze ariko ubu meze nukuri kubyiruka, ubu ya miryango n’inshuti nari nararakariye ngo ntacyo yamfashije nayibohotseho kuko niyumvishemo imbaraga n’icyizere biri hejuru ubu ibyo nari mbategerejeho ngewe ubwange n’abana tuzabyigezaho.
Umwitozo wamfashije ni 4-4-6-2 amaboko asimburana ibiryo n’ibumoso. Iyo nkora uyu mwitozo unyongerera imbaraga, ituze, n’icyizere, kuberako iyo njyana amaboko nkanayagarura mba numva ndi gukusanya ibyancitse byose mbyigarurira, mba numva amashuri yanshitse, urushako rwacitse, ituze nicyizere byose mba numva bingarukiye nkatuza nkunda uyu mwitozo kuburyo burenze.
Ubu nize kwizigamira, kwiteza imbere, gukora imishinga mito, kandi izabyara iminini nkiteza imbere. kuko mfite ubuzima buzima ngomba gushaka ahonzatuza abana banjye. Mfite intego yuko abana banjye baziga secondary na kaminuza mbigizemo uruhare 95%. Ndashimira abubatsi b'amahoro bandambagije kuko nibo batumye mbona ibyiza byo mu matsinda ya imenye Wigire. Byatangiye nshaka kuva muri Kirehe ariko ubu uretse nokuba muri kirehe, nuyu mudugudu itsinda ryanjye rikoreramo sinawuvamo kuko itsinda ryangiriye umumaro.