Over 8000 young people experiencing psychological problems in the sectors of Bushoki, Kimihurura, Mugina and Ndera, as well as people looking after them, have benefited from a program ran by Handicap International.

Speaking during a one-day workshop dubbed "Coaching individual Trauma Through Revitalisation of Social and Community Links” at a local hotel, the organisation’s local chairman, Augustine Nziguheba, said that trauma and depression as a result of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was very devastating.

"The 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, which claimed the lives of more than one million people, was extremely violent.”

"The aftermath has been devastating at both community and individual levels. It left very many people traumatized and this initiated the idea of establishing Handicap International in Rwanda to help in solving mental health problems among the affected people,” Nziguheba said.

During the workshop the beneficiaries of the programme gave testimonies on how Handicap International changed their lives.

"The project has helped me to come out of total isolation, I have met people with whom I share the same problems and we have established solidarity links” said one of the beneficiaries of the project.

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