 |
| Florence Atangere (third from left), founder of the ‘Standing Women’ association, speaks to the members during their weekly meeting in Bangui, Central African Republic. |
By Jack Losh, BANGUI Central African
Republic
In a dusty yard on
the outskirts of the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui, a group of
women sit together.
They meet here every week to check on each other and to discuss their
problems and triumphs. Leading them is Florence Atanguere, a formerly displaced
Central African widow.
“For us
women, this association is the only way for us to be able to stand up,” says
the 51-year-old mother of six.
Florence
is referring to Femme Debout, or ‘Women Standing’, a group
comprised of mostly war widows and orphans who are taking a stand against the
traumatic effects of the Central African Republic’s protracted conflict.
When
sectarian conflict between Muslim and Christian armed groups spread across the
country in 2013, Florence was tremendously affected.
Six years
ago, her home was attacked by armed gunmen who stabbed her brother to death
after he refused to give them a car. They also beat up her visually impaired
mother, injuring her severely.
“I
was screaming and shouting. They pointed a gun at me to shut me up,” she
recalls, visibly shaken by the memory of that fateful December day.
As
the militants ran amok, Florence grabbed her children, her brother’s three
children and her elderly mother and fled towards the site for internally
displaced people (IDPs) by Bangui’s international airport. Like them, most of
the displaced at the site had witnessed terrible acts of violence including
brutal killings of family members and appalling sexual violence towards women.
The
country’s conflict has forced over a million people from their homes – nearly
600,000 people are displaced inside the country and a similar number have
crossed into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and the Republic of the Congo.
Florence
and her family eventually made it to a camp where a few months later, her
elderly mother succumbed to her injuries and died.
The
profound loss, coupled with the grim conditions at the camp, where she lived
for the next three years, made Florence desperate for a strong support system.
It
was during those years in the camp that she gathered around her the first
members of Femme Debout. Among the first women to join
Florence, who is Christian, was Madina Sadjo, a Muslim widow and survivor of
the conflict.
Forcibly
separated from her husband during an attack in her hometown, Madina was
devastated after learning of his death. Florence helped her cope with her grief
and the two women soon became close friends.
“I went
to fetch some water in the camp one morning,” recalls the 53-year-old. “I was
crying so much I had to stop and sit beneath a tree. That’s when Florence saw
me.”
With
Florence’ help, Madina was able to slowly deal with her pain. Femme
Debout has also helped – giving her capital to start a cake
and coffee business so she could put her children through school.
“This
group saved my life. I felt so helpless before and had to overcome so much,”
she adds. “Because of them, I now have hope for the future.”
Supported
by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, through its partner agency PARET, the
association has 175 members, brought together in an act of collective healing.
The members learn different skills and contribute 600 Central African Francs
(about US$1) to their investment kitty. A small sum is added to the emergency
reserve, which is available to any member in dire need of funds, payable over
time, interest free.
The
group plays a crucial role in an environment where women who have borne the
brunt of years of war, often face discrimination and the risk of sexual
violence.
“Women
here are seen as inferior,” explains Florence. “But little by little, we are
getting together to fight back.”
Above
all, the group fosters a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence by helping
members develop new livelihoods. They own a small plot of land where they grow
spring onions, lettuce, tomatoes and other vegetables to sell at the local
market. They also make soap and crafts and some of the women also have hair
salons, while others have become skilled tailors.
For
Florence, the strength and solidarity of the sisterhood she has gathered around
her today has helped her cope with the trauma of that fateful December.
Undeterred by any ethnic and religious lines fuelled by the war, her group
continues to welcome both Christians and Muslims, while ensuring that each
member can attain self-reliance, cope with her loss and heal.
“These
women are my blood, they are my sisters, my mothers and my daughters. We are
all Central Africans. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Muslim or Christian,”
says Florence. - UNHCR
No comments:
Post a Comment