UNITY AND PEACE FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATIVE

“UPDC”

UNITY AND PEACE FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATIVE

“UPDC” The Work of Byron Katie In Rwanda The Work of Byron Katie In Rwanda

• UPDC is a cooperative with the aim to unify people and bring peace for better development amongst community members in the region.

• An idea formed by 7 students studying at the Adventist University “UNILAK” in May 2004

• Original vision was to discuss about lectures together without any ethnic, religious differences

• In January 2005 extension in terms of its activities was successfully realized

• Today the UPDC has 40 members who are committed to bring unity and peace for sustainable development

About UPDC

Kayitesi (divorced) was raped in the 1994 Rwanda Genocide and was infected by HIVand AIDS, lost her father, mother, and 4 siblings. The people who raped her are still injail. Those who killed her relatives are now her close friends after going through theUPDC reunification processKayitesi (below) has to feed her 3 children and implements some income generating

activities. She is a fish seller with capital of Rwf 11,000 around U$ 20.

“I am the one who infected my daughter,”

declares Mama Honorie. Honorie

and her mother are both infected by

AIDS

The Problems Genocide AIDS Conflict

• Before the 1994 Genocide, the family was the focal point of the community, from father to mother, first born child to last born child.

• Today, this is sadly the total opposite of Rwandan life

“My husband and my father are in prison since January 1995, my mother was killed during Genocide, my relatives took the way of exile in DRC I do not know where they are. I live by myself”. Leocadie sadly declares to a UPDC member.

“I live hopelessly,My husband left me when I was 6 months pregnant,

he escaped Gacaca. I thank you for being

charitable and come to visit my family.” said

Josephine,

Costa and Josephine during a monthly home visit

The ProblemsLoneliness and Abandonment

Conflict is a multidimensional phenomenon. Conflict is natural, it happens in every human society but this is the opposite of what happened in Rwanda and even continues today. Conflict needs a long period of inner struggle to result in harm to your neighbors and family. In Rwanda it was a pure hatred which caused the Genocide of the Tutsis. Due to this hatred, people live in severe trauma as the product of the 1994 holocaust. People cannot forget in their mind that Hutus are those who killed their relatives, who raped them, who amputated their arms/legs, who destroyed their houses, who plundered their cows, and other such atrocities.

On the other side, Hutus hate Tutsis, as the aftermath Genocide caused the splitting of their families and relatives as many of the Hutus were sent to prison for their actions.

Both parties are traumatized by what they experienced

All parties live in fear and horror.

Conflict ≠ Hatred

Beneficial interaction

The Most Vulnerable Groups Children Headed Household

(CHH) Orphans and Vulnerable

Children (OVCs) •Children constitute the most afflicted groups in Rwanda• These are the products of civil wars and Genocide in particular• Due to their natural vulnerability, they do not study and engage in prostitution, vagrant behavior, and live in severe isolation• However, with financial and psycho-social help such as mentorship, they can embrace “EVEN” vocational training

Women Headed Households (WHHs)

•Like CHHs, they constitute a large number of victims in Rwanda• Most Genocides and civil wars leave huge numbers of widows• The number of widows is large is compromises both those who lost husbands during the genocide and also those who had their husbands imprisoned in the aftermath• However, some have found help through the UPDC by finding ways to work with one another as a community to move on past the horror of Genocide

Mutual BenefitCHHOVC WHH

I hate all hutus’ and I hate all hutus’ and those who share those who share friendship with friendship with

them, he used to tell them, he used to tell me.me.

The Source of the Trauma

Around 1,100,000 people were slaughtered during the 1994 GenocideAmong them is Jean Paul, who lost both parents and 6 relatives. Only be the grace of God did he survive. He was hit by machete and thrown into a hole 5 meters deep. His killers thought that the Jean Paul (only 3 years old in 1994) had died but RPF soldiers who heard him crying rescued him. Full of mental and physical scars, he is still fighting the war in his mind.

Some of the big problems causing psychological panic is that many community members do not yet find bones of their dears. The real example is that of my wife where the father was killed and body parts were differently buried. So far we have only found the upper part of the body. When this was discovered my felt into coma and passed 3 months in a psychosocial clinic. My son Gentle who was only 3 years and could not talk to his mother for three months. But This does affect my mind since I did The last October school for The Work. I know my wife one day will be released.

Changes are sounding

The Work is facilitated to many community members especially vulnerable people including Genocide survivors and Ex-prisoners, people living with AIDS but not successfully to all.

However , there are some changes realized.

Emmanuel

Unity and Reconciliation Heal Trauma

Alice

Emmanuel is the one who cut off the hand of Alice during the Genocide. Today, through UPDC, they have been able to reconcile their differences The ultimate goal of the complete

eradication of the Tutsis during the Genocide failed. One day, the hatred will also die. Among those who have overcome this hatred are Alice and Emmanuel. Alice’s hand was cut off with a machete yielded by Emmanuel. Today, they are all members of UPDC. They interact and implement sustainable development projects in their communities. Costa, Alice and Emmanuel after the Work Saturday 6th Dec. (4 hours of facilitation) We can one day live in peace and Love. That is our AIM.

• Most people in Rwanda live in a state of pure vulnerability• The aftermath of the Genocide harbors feelings fear,

stress, distrust amongst the people• The people end up stuck in the past, reliving the genocide

in their minds and lives• Their primary thoughts concern “We were living…” or “I

was….”

We had a nice house before the 1994

Genocide. Today I can’t afford to get

1,500,000Rfw (US$3000) to construct another

house. So I will continue to live in this hut with

my family.

Vulnerability

JEANNE a Genocide survivor after The Work (self inquiry) facilitated by UPDC staff, she accepted to meet a man who killed her husband and today they are friends. The man who did this was the builder when we were building a house for Jeanne. Together Genocide survivors and perpetrators made mud bricks and soon Jeanne and her son will be sheltered. UPDC and donors bought corrugated metals and doors for roofing.

• Despite of all differences, vulnerability, bad memories, we can generate income and rebuild our communities using our basic knowledge

• When people are encouraged to think more for the future, they will be better equipped to handle their past

• With multiple war zones including Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Uganda, South Sudan, Darfur Civil wars, we must do something NOW

• Basic interventions are needed:– Raise the significance of Unity and Peace building in the community. No

implementation where conflict bearing traumas persist.

– Community capacity building: Equipping community members with basic skills to facilitate the implementation of small-scale businesses

– Facilitate cooperatives with starting capital to build sustainable Income Generating Activities (IGAs).

Unity and Reconciliation Heal Trauma

We are all HIV and AIDS positive and we work together for the

better of our life

We are all HIV and AIDS positive and we work together for the

better of our life

Constructing the Family of Tomorrow

•Rebuild the community with sustainable development• Remove trauma and conflict• Working together to make the community THRIVE

• The number of community members with trauma is very high

• Huge number of OVCs and WHHs• Lack of funds to finance IGAs trainings• Limited financial position of the

cooperative, since funds are obtained from the narrow contribution of UPDC founders.

• Last but not least:

Lack of trauma healers

Our Challenges

• Train community members in peace building and reconciliation.

• Train community members in basic intervention of traumatized persons, especially during Gacaca courts and mourning periods (April to July).

• Facilitate handcraft cooperatives with basic materials (fibers, paint, needles and sewing machines)

• Look for markets to sell handicraft products• Register and support OVCs to join vocational training• To date, 3 OVCs are in welding and 1 is in tailoring.• Provide CHHs and OVCs with medical insurance. • Train community in IGAs and micro-project management.

What We Do

• Facilitate more OVCs with vocational training • Provide materials as starting capital for IGAs• Train cooperative members in modern

farming techniques.• Look for foreign markets of crafts made by

cooperatives.• Provide further training on Unity and peace

building to facilitate sustainable development practices

Our Future

Together as ONE

Together as One We Can a Difference

THANK YOU You can fast one lunch per month or per week

and donate US$20 to support us doing The Work in Rwanda. Use

www.groundworkopportunities.orgOr contact Bart in Sanfrancisco USA at

+14156671605WE WELCOME YOU IN RWANDA to do facilitate

The Work