Success Stories
Success Stories
The following are some of the many success stories collected during the testimonies from beneficiaries.
Habarugira Faustin is 53yrs old. He was 26 years old when the 1994 genocide against Tutsis occurred in Rwanda. He was an RDF army, when his service in army ended, he was reintegrated back in the community and the community didn’t trust him. They looked at him as a tyrant and a murderer. This reduces his self-esteem and self-respect. Hewasn’t welcome in community development programs like Girinka, and Vision Umurenge Programme (VUP). He was honored to participate in PHARP Rwanda programs. He was trained in the areas of peace building, conflict resolution, trauma healing and on entrepreneurship skills. He is in shoes making training. « I thank PHARP for its work of uniting and comforting Rwandans. PHARP Rwanda came to us and gave us training, bringing us together from our different categories of life. We were brought together without discrimination. We were taught that Unity and reconciliation is our main weapon in our lives as we are still at war against poverty. Now we are all working together bound by one rope. Thanks»
HABARUGIRA Faustin
When the genocide against the Tutsi started I was 2 years old. My parents and siblings were killed. When I grew up, I was told how my parents and my siblings were killed ; my mother got aborted a child who would be my sister, and remembering how my siblings were killed because of who they were, I become traumatised. I have lost a large number of people that I cannot enumerate, and I was living a lonely life: I didn’t know how to live with others, because I didn’t know how to forgive. My thought was of living with some people and ignoring others. I thank PHARP for training me in peace building and teaching me that I should not be withheld by grief, but to forgive, and I have forgiven and I am committed to promoting unity. I am also trained in tailoring and I live well with others.
MUKASHYAKA Jeannette
Seruvanga Jean Pierre is a man living in Kivumu sector, Nganzo Cell, Remera Village in Rutsiro District. He has a stigma that makes him thinking that he is inferior to other Rwandans as he is among the disadvantaged people by the history previously called Abatwa.« First of all, I would like to thank the Government of Rwanda for thinking of us and I am grateful to the PHARP for teaching us, about building peace, Healing, and reconciliation. I followed carefully the reconciliation lesson, and I learned values such us humility and honesty. I will apply those values in my daily life as I interact with colleagues , and I as I deal with different issues . I will be humble and apologize where needed».
SERUVANGA Jean Pierre
Clementine is a woman aged 40 and she was 13 years old when the 1994 genocide against Tutsis occurred in Rwanda and her brother (Batagirumuhanga Yesali ) participated in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and he was imprisoned. « I carried his burden in my heart for a long time without knowing what to do. With the teaching of PHARP on peace, healing, reconciliation and forgiveness, I asked for forgiveness on his behalf and I felt that my heart got liberated and now I feel very well. I am a released person. May God continue to guide PHARP to help others».
NYIRANIZEYIMANA Clementine
Dusabimana Stephanie is a women living in Kivumu sector. Before the intervention of PHARP-Rwanda, her life was miserable and very poor: she lived in conflict and violence with her husband for many years, where it ended by getting divorce; I live with my two children. For me and my children to eat at least once a day, I have to work very hard. With the support of PHARP-Rwanda, I’m trained in peace building, conflict resolution, and entrepreneurship. I hope to use what I learned to help myself and help my children. Thank you PHARP.
DUSABIMANA Stephanie
Duhimbazimana Rachel is a girl aged 30 years old. « I dropped school when I was in senior 3, where I did not get school materials and school fees. After dropping out of school my life become hard, I lived in isolation without hope for the future. After joining PHARP Rwanda my life changed immediately, I learned what Ndumunyarwanda is and how I can live in peace and harmony with others. I am trained in tailoring and I have started to sew clothes for myself, for children, youth, women and men, which will help me make money for my needs and my family needs. I have a dream to expend my business to a tailoring workshop and more. Thanks to God, to bring PHARP-Rwanda here
DUHIMBAZIMANA Rachel
I’m Mukeshimana Marie Claire, 50 years old, and a mother of 4 children. Before PHARP intervention arrives in Rutsiro, I was living in isolation and getting food was very hard for me and my family. I didn’t care about forgiveness. PHARP-Rwanda taught me how I can live peacefully and in harmony with others. Now I know the importance of forgiveness that offers peace of heart and set the mind free . Also know how I can work and save for the future. I am trained in basket waiving and in knitting.. I’m able to produce baskets in different shapes, socks for children and different sweaters for men, women and children, that help me getting money for my family, health insurance and savings for the future. PHARP – Rwanda ‘komeze ufashe abanyarwanda.» continue to help Rwandans
MUKESHIMANA Marie Claire
Jean de Dieu Nsanzineza is a 50 year old man and is a former soldier. «When my services in army ended, I was reintegrated back in the community and I found that it was difficult to live there. People had seen me with guns in 1994 and did not feel comfortable with me, and the community didn’t trust me. I was taken as a tyrant and a murderer. This reduces my self-esteem and my self-respect. But since PHARP Rwanda trained us, I have found myself in Rwandan society. PHARP Rwanda played a big role because I had desired to learn a skill, now I am one of the students and I know how to sew different clothes. I want to make a good career and business in tailoring until I will have my own workshop».
NSANZINEZA Jean de Dieu
«I’m HABINEZA Emmanuel 34 years old, staying in Gasanze village, Cyabararika cell, Muhoza sector in Musanze District. I studied from primary to University and I have a degree (A0), I did not get a chance to be with my parent longer when they were killed when I was 4 years old in the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. Before the social healing, social cohesion, and resilience program, my self-esteem was low, I used to think that good things could not reach me and even I believed that the bad life that I was living was caused by being studied. With training organized by PHARP-Rwanda on Ndumunyarwanda Program, on social healing, conflict management, unity and reconciliation, and community resilience and with a supporting group created for therapeutic purposes, know my self-esteem was restored, I believe that the life that I have is a precious value and can help in attaining on a given objective settled and there is no reason of to be addicted to drugs, There is no reason to despair because if today goes wrong tomorrow will be better. Thank you Pharp-Rwanda for enlightening us that all things are possible»
HABINEZA Emmanuel
«Yankurije Odile is 25 years old. I live in Cyabararika cell, Muhoza sector of Musanze District. Before the intervention related to social healing, social cohesion and community resilience program, I was not open to and isolated from others. I could not value other’s ideas and I thought mine were better even though were wrong. After participating in organized training by PHARP-Rwanda and in mutual supporting group, I was totally changed. Know I feel free with others, I’m not feeling lonely and I’m able to listen to others during therapeutic groups, in saving and lending groups even in my all activities. I have realized that being characterized by negative thought is not moral. Then after I participated in the organized training on Ndumunyarwanda program, I gained the appropriate knowledge on how I can manage family conflict, care for myself and other, and I know how I can help a traumatized person. May God continue to guide PHARP to help others
Yankurije Odile
«I’m Muramba Joseph, I was in the army from 1992 to 2006. Before attending training; I was not able to give forgiveness, not request a pardon for my faults, I was not able to listen to others, I cannot address people who have some trauma symptoms (Trauma healing), or work with others in groups. I was not able to collaborate with Tusti genocide survivors. After being trained in the Ndumunyarwanda program, unity reconciliation, and resilience, now I have: to love my country, give forgiveness because it is more important to me, and request to ask for forgiveness for my faults. I’m able to help other in trauma healing and working with Tusti genocide survivors in the Twitezimbere Yorodani group where we meet and makes savings for our future. I have to work hard and better and collaborate with others to achieve the Rwanda we want. Thank you to PHARP-Rwanda who brought us all together. »
Muramba Joseph
I’m Uwingeneye Pacifique, staying in Yorodani village, Cyabararika cell, Muhoza sector in Musanze district. Before PHARP intervention, I was living in isolation; I thought that no one can love me. After attending training and joining therapeutic group, I was excited by getting new friends and persons that love me. Before being trained on creation and management of income generating activities, I thought that small amount of money cannot help me in reaching to development. After being trained, I decide to initiate small business using the small amount of money I had. Now I’m a member of Twitezimbere group which is helping me in shifting from isolation and I’m happy in living with others in Rwandan community. I feel I am loved I’m loved, my self-esteem and self-respect was reborn. I have a plan to create a group that taught live in harmony among partners and neighbors. Thanks to PHARP for giving us a valued gift for our life.
Uwingeneye Pacifique
« I’m Munyembabazi Théodomile, I live in Nsyabire village, Kamasiga cell, Gatumba sector in Ngororero District, before the training, I was lonely, anxious, depressed, I was desperate. I live with a disability. After being trained in trauma healing and resilience, I’ve changed completely I’m no longer lonely, nor depressed, my esteem is restored, and I can create a business to have income where the capital can come from the Savings and lending group created by Pharp-Rwanda. Thanks to PHARP-Rwanda for the good program in favor of integral human development»
Munyembabazi Théodomile
«I’m Uwineza Marie Chantal, living in Sarambwe village, Gacundura cell in Rwerere Sector in Burera district. Before the intervention of PHARP-Rwanda on Trauma healing, social cohesion and community resilience, I was neither able to forgive nor asking for pardon, and I had jealous against other people. Thanks to the training on Ndumunyarwanda program, Unity and reconciliation…and therapeutic group activities. My life has positively changed and I’m now somehow new. I can now forgive, a can ask for forgiveness over my faults and I’m living with others in harmony and I’m working with other in Savings and Lending groups for our development. I express my gratitude to PHARP for changing my life».
Uwineza Marie Chantal
My name is NYIRAHUMURE Judith; I am 50 years old, with husband and 4 children. I live in Yorodani village, Cyabararika cell, and Muhoza sector in Musanze District. Before PHARP-Rwanda intervention, I was always isolated, unable to go where others are; I was depressed and full of anger. In Tutsi genocide remembering period, I was not able to joining others in different planned activities at community level, I turning off the radio and did not listen to the television. I could not forgive people who betrayed me. When I was invited to come to the training, I found that there were too many people and I didn’t go to a place where there were more than five people. In groups I felt love and trust, group member talked about their life challenges/problems and this gives me the power of sharing my story too. This transformed me to a new person who is free from fear and hatrate, now I’m not lonely; I’m no longer depressed and feel better because of therapeutic group that I’m a member. Thanks to PHARP for giving us a new and better life which was lost.
NYIRAHUMURE Judith
«I’m NIYITANGIGIHE Aime Berge 25years old, staying in Rugaragara village, Gacundura cell, and Rwerere sector in Burera District. I’m married and I’m community facilitators. Before the intervention of PHARP-Rwanda, my self-esteem was low and some time I was not able in offering forgiveness: there is a neighbor that we had a long conflict, by chance, we were all invited by the PHARP-Rwanda in organized of community facilitators. After the training, I was able to talk with my neighbors for look at how our long conflict should be resolved. At the time we finished by being reconciliated. Now he is my friend. My self-esteem and self-confident have been increased from being community facilitors where I facilitate three groups and those group are operational. And now I am part of community facilitators group where each two months, one member receive goat worth 50,000 Frw. This help us in exercising bleeding activities and help in increasing agriculture’ products as it give fertilizer
NIYITANGIGIHE Aime Berge
Murinndagwe has 38 year old, he is single and he live with her mother, before intervention of PHARP-Rwanda, he was suffering from trauma, isolated and avoiding place where many people are. During Tutsi Genocide commemoration period, he did not able in listening Radio, Television and being with others only her mom. The organized training of PHARP-Rwanda help him in overcoming those barriers he had, training derouled two weeks before Tutsi genocide commemoration period. after being trained on Ndumunyarwanda, and how we can treat a person with trauma, my heart was free and being social people where I can be with other people, know I have many friends and a make conversion with mom and accept to be part of therapeutic group, she was also ill and my mom and I offer forgiveness to person who betrayed us and the debt that they own us we made off. I participated in Tusti genocide commemoration period of 2023 and no problem I faced. Now I’m free, happy and healthy.
MURINDAGWE Giburir
I’m Nzirorera Calliste, 62 years old, married with wife and seven children. I stay in Tyabire village, Kamasiga cell, Gatumba sector in Ngororero District. I participated in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and I was imprisoned for several years. I was realized in 2003 with the forgiveness of our President Paul Kagame after accepting the committed activities. Arrived home, my wife had children of others; this was burden to me and putted me in living isolated with some bad behavior. With the received training, I changed completely, forgiven my wife and others to live in harmony with my wife and my children. I take time and explained my children and my wife Ndumunyarwanda program, about forgiveness and reconciliation. We have started to work together for our future and better life. Thanks PHARP-Rwanda that helped me living better with my families and neighbors.