Caritas staff were impressed by the strength of the locals in Satitoa village, Samoa. Their village was destroyed by the Pacific tsunami in 2009, yet the community kept their spirits high with little doses of recreation.
Watch the story of teenager Isabelle from Democratic Republic of
Congo, who was raped by soldiers whilst on her way to fetch
water.
Her story is one of courage and hope - see how she has rebuilt her life
with the help of Caritas.
You can also watch our first interview with Isabelle on this YouTube video.
Caritas Australia’s local partners Caritas Congo and Caritas
Goma are responding to the needs of those displaced by the crisis in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Isabelle was 14 when she was raped by
masked gunmen. The attack left her pregnant with twins. Read her story
in the Forsaken
Voices report and learn how Caritas has
helped.
Sifa was only 14 when she was abducted
and held captive by the FDLR inthe forest, where she suffered ongoing
violence.
Lulu Mitshabu, Caritas Australia’s Africa Program Coordinator said
tens of thousands of people have been displaced by outbreaks of
fighting.
“The effects of these recurrent displacements are devastating
particularly for children and for women," Ms Mitshabu said.
"Under such conditions, there is always the risk of cholera and disease
outbreaks, and increased cases of malnutrition among children. If
there’s no reprieve in the fighting and displacements, the
consequences will be life-threatening for the children and their
families, said Ms Mitshabu.
“We are extremely troubled by the current situation. Caritas
partners are severely affected by the influx of refugees, struggling to
provide shelter, clean water and food as well as medical
assistance”.
Caritas Australia has been supporting development programs in Congo,
through local partners Caritas Congo and Caritas Goma, focusing on
mitigating the impacts of HIV/AIDS, supporting survivors of sexual
violence, medical assistance, trauma counselling and reintegration of
child soldiers.
The face of Congo suffering
As stated in a special report released by Caritas Australia - Forsaken Voices -
the DRC is experiencing a humanitarian tragedy of unparalleled
proportions, and it is escalating:
Over 1200 people killed each day
2000 women raped in the month of June 2008 alone
Australian mining companies are not being transparent
Over 30000 child soldiers
Complicit and corrupt government leaders gaining from Australian
and other foreign mining activities
A culture of sexual violence and intimidation
Little international attention to the plight of the Congolese
especially women and children
Sifa's story
Sifa Mudekeneza knows the reality of sexual violence all too well. The
FDLR took Sifa from her home, a village outside Walungu, when she was 14
and held her captive in the forest. During this time, she was beaten
repeatedly on her arms, thighs and her face, forced to ‘be the
wife’ of one of the men and eventually became pregnant. After five
monthsshe managed to escape by walking through the forest for three
days.
Following the attack, Sifa no longer felt safe. She decided to stay
with her uncle and aunt in Bukavu (the capital of South Kivu). Yet
shortly after her arrival, her uncle’s house was burgled. During
the course of the burglary, Sifa and her aunt were raped by several men.
Sifa contracted HIV/AIDS and became pregnant for the second time. She is
too afraid to return to her village – the FDLR continues to
threaten her and has burnt down her house. She now lives with her son,
Pascal, and her daughter, Pascaline, in a different village.
Forsaken Voices report
This groundbreaking report released by Caritas Australia,
“Forsaken Voices: Rape and Plunder in the Democratic Republic
of the Congo” details the horrific effects of murder,
rape, child soldiers and the extractive industry are having on the DRC.
This direct account, garnered through local voices gives a unique
insight into the tragedy of the ongoing conflicts.
Read about the issues facing the Democratic Republic of Congo, and
learn what the international community and Caritas are doing to help
rebuild the lives of women who have suffered sexual violence in DRC.
Download the full report and Caritas Foresaken Media kit
Also read what Caritas is doing to help lift Congo women from the cycle
of poverty by improving access to education
and health care. Caritas Australia has been working in the
Democratic Republic of Congo for over two decades focusing on
rehabilitating child soldiers and those affected by sexual violence and
mitigating the spread of HIV/AIDS.
What you can do
The Forsaken Voices report details five recommendations and
practical measures concerned citizens can undertake to help affect
positive change in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the current situation in the
Democratic Republic of Congo and particularly the plight of women and
children in this country.
Out of respect for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, Caritas Australia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which all of its offices within Australia are located.
