A brief presentation about the mission and work of Friends Women's Association, a grassroots Burundian women's organization.

1. FRIENDS WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION
working for health, hope, and peace

2. Who we are…
We are an organization
founded by and for
Burundian women to
address the unique
needs of women in the
conflict and post-conflict
environment.

3. Our mission:
•Provide comprehensive, community-
based health care to women and their
families.
•Promote women’s empowerment and
leadership.
•Strengthen peace and social solidarity.

4. We believe:
We believe health is a human right. We also
believe that when this right is truly respected,
there is hope for long-term sustainable peace
in Burundi.
We focus on the whole well-being of our
patients and our community, treating both their
bodily needs and facilitating a process of
healing from violence and trauma.

5. A little bit about Burundi:
•Burundi is ranked the 4th poorest country in the world.
•The percentage of people living below the poverty line increased
from 33% to 68%, from 1990 in 2004.
•The national rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Burundi is above epidemic
levels. In Kamenge, where the FWA Center is located, the rate of
infection is estimated to be as high as 16%.
•Burundi is one of the most overpopulated countries in Africa. The
majority of Burundians live a daily struggle to survive, living often on
barren land.

6. More about Kamenge:
During the war, Kamenge was on the frontlines of fierce violence. The
legacy of the war in this community includes issues surrounding:
•widows and female-headed households
•orphans and vulnerable children
•displaced persons and refugees
•high rates of HIV infection
•high rates of poverty: including issues of food insecurity, lack of
access to clean drinking water, lack of adequate health care
•psychosocial trauma and sexual violence

7. Our services:
•Free or low cost medical exams to women and
their families
•Primary and preventative care
•Laboratory testing
•HIV testing and counseling,
•Psychological counseling
•Home visits and micro-finance services
•Community trauma and reconciliation workshops

8. What does an average
patient look like?
Our most common patient is not only living with HIV,
but in poor, urban settings -- struggling to cover
basic living expenses.
HIV positive individuals live in a state of vulnerability
at the margins of society where they are exiled and
stigmatized.
Frequently, they do not have the opportunities
necessary to learn new skills and to provide for
themselves and their families.

9. Laboratory Services:
Our lab technician provides free HIV tests, as well as
low cost:
•Pregnancy tests
•Rapid malaria tests
•Gastro intestinal tests
•Urinary tests
•Hemoglobin tests
Our onsite psychologist provides pre- and post-HIV
test counseling.

10. Our pharmacy:
We provide free medications to HIV+ patients
suffering from opportunistic infections, like TB and
pneumonia.
We also provide affordable, low-cost medications to
anyone with a prescription.
We are currently in the process of receiving Anti-
Retroviral (ARV)Treatment accreditation from the
Ministry of Health allowing us to provide free ARV
treatment to HIV + patients.

11. Trauma healing workshops:
Our Women’s Peace and Recovery Project works to
provide concrete trauma healing and community
reconciliation techniques to 600 participants.
These techniques help women manage debilitating
mental pain, improve family relationships and
increase women’s ability to work, in order to support
their families.
Lack of access to healthcare, poor physical health
and HIV are the primary causes of re-traumatization
after violent conflict.

12. Meet Cecile Ngendakuriyo
Trauma Healing Workshop Participant
“When I came to the workshop, I was feeling so bad, my
heart was about to explode. I first had problems with my
children, which caused me so much pain. In addition, three
weeks ago my husband died. Since that day, I was always
sad; I never laughed anymore or expressed any joy… I was
sad all the time because I lost the one who used to help
me in everything.
But when I started coming to the workshop, what we
learned helped me so much. I feel better now. I even
started to laugh again. I feel released. Thank you very
much for coming, I hope and ask you to come more
often.”

13. Why micro-finance?
Poverty is one of the primary challenges to individuals
reintegrating into communities after conflict. A
person living in poverty has little or no access to
housing, nutrition, clothing, healthcare or education.
We launched our micro-finance program in an
attempt to address these issues, and to improve the
holistic health of the woman.
Currently our micro-finance program supports 18 of
our HIV+ beneficiaries. Our goals is to extend this to all
300+ of our patients living with HIV.

14. In our pilot project,
participants reported
doubling their
monthly earnings,
improving self-
esteem,
and experiencing
less discrimination
as they established
themselves as
business people.

15. Meet Marie-Rose
Ntahomvukiye
Marie-Rose is a 60-year-old
woman with 5 children. After her
husband died in 2004, she tested
positive for HIV. When she
discovered her status, she
became depressed -- often
staying in her room.
“It was very, very difficult for me to
think of work because I believed
that what was left for me was only
death… I had no more appetite,
but also, in order to eat, I had to
wait for my children to bring me
something because I did not
produce anything.”

16. “The microfinance project came to me like a miracle
from God, because I have a neighbor who helped me
to work. We gathered our money and together we
started a project selling coal….
Per month, we can gain a profit of approximately
80,000 FBU ($63 USD)... Because of this I can say that
thanks to the microfinance project my life has
completely changed: today I have an occupation, I
spend my day at the work site, I have friends at work
who accompany me and encourage me day by day,
and I no longer feel depressed.”
- Marie-Rose Ntahomvukiye

17. We hope you’ll join us by making a
donation to support our mission and to
reach even more women like Cecile
and Marie-Rose.
Visit www.fwaburundi.com/supportus
Or, send a check to:
African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI)
With “Friends Women’s Association” on
the memo line.
1001 Park Avenue St.
Louis, MO 63104, USA
Need help? Or just want to chat about
FWA’s work? Contact Leah Hazard at
lhazard@fwaburundi.com

18. And keep in touch!
facebook.com/FWAburundi
@FWAburundi

19. Thank you! Merci! Murakoze cane!