Daphrose

Please note that this testimony contains graphic and upsetting content relating to rape and torture.

‘I was born in 1982. I was twelve years old in 1994. My parents and the other members of my family were killed right before my eyes. My elder sister and I were raped and through this we both contracted AIDS.

The greatest miracle to emerge from the genocide is my little sister, Florence, who was breast­feeding during the genocide. Florence spent one week breast­feeding on our dead mother. One of the killers passed by and saw her. He was so astonished to see that she was still alive after so many days that he decided to take her to his home. Florence has machete scars all over her body and head.

Sometimes her head swells because of the heat from the sun. I am now head of a household of five children orphaned in the genocide. Florence is in primary school, and I support the family through farming, but we all share the housework.

Since I was orphaned, only through the support of the organisations Solace have I met people who are caring, comforting and listen to me attentively. Normally, no one is interested in me. I thank God for the new family and parents that I found at Solace.’

Solace Ministries is an organisation run by survivors of the genocide, set up to restore hope and a future to survivors.

Thank you to SURF and Daphrose for sharing this testimony.