Hear From Us RGW Impact
This year RGW has impacted 37 women and over a hundred Children from vulnerable families. These women come from different neighborhoods and for 7 months, we gathered with them twice a week. With the help of our experienced psychologists, we provided them with resources for personal healing and each one of them and their children had several one on one counseling sessions. At RGW, we believe that personal development and self-fulfillment begins with a spiritual awakening and emotional healing. Our target are widows, women and children who leave in broken homes, and families that have been crippled by marital and parental challenges to the extent that they have given up hope. Due to constant conflicts, lack of provision, abuse in their homes, and raising children alone, these women live desperately.
ITOTO’s Testimonies
Restored hearts change lives.
Live and Multiply
Abandoned mother with 10 children
Before RGW:
Denise NAHIMANA is one of the women supported by RGW through the ITOTO project.Here is her testimony:
“I swear, I couldn’t sleep! I was a walking ball of guilt. My relationship with my children? Worse than a TV drama series. I used to tell them they were worthless, just like their father who abandoned me after torturing me. Honestly, even I wouldn’t have wanted to be my own friend back then! Life was a nightmare: no food, no school supplies, just endless misery with no hope in sight.”
Arrival at RGW:
“One day, I found myself at RGW, and my life took a dramatic turn. I attentively followed their teachings on healing and managing emotional trauma. RGW even provided school supplies for my children, and the emotional burden I carried felt lighter, like a suitcase emptied before boarding a plane!
I also attended sessions on economic empowerment and planning. That’s when I realized I had a brain for thinking and hands for working. The result? Today, I am a healed woman, enjoying fulfilling relationships with my children (I no longer compare them to their father!) and a community that appreciates me.”
“Now that we’ve learned to plan and heal from emotional wounds, I say: baduhe amahera (give us funding) to bring our projects to life! Also, provide us with training on accessing microcredit. Why? Because we’re ready to conquer the world, and a little financial support will take us even further.”
Mother of 4 children
Before RGW:
“My life was literally swept away by floods. They took everything: my house, belongings, and even my hope. On top of that, my husband lost his job and was evicted due to the circumstances. We ended up living in tents in Gatumba, struggling daily just to find food. Isolated, hopeless, and with no future in sight, I didn’t know how to climb out of that pit.”
Arrival at RGW:
“When I joined RGW, it was like seeing a light at the end of a dark tunnel. I attended their teachings on healing and managing emotional trauma, which were a lifeline, helping me ease my emotional burden. RGW also provided school supplies for my children, significantly lifting my mental load.
Through their economic empowerment and planning sessions, I regained my footing. I started income-generating activities earning 5,000 FBU daily. This income helps meet my family’s basic needs. Today, I no longer live in tents; I’ve rented a house in Gahahe. My restored serenity has even improved my vision issues, and I take pride in my appearance and achievements.
I now experience peace and joy. Thanks to RGW, I have a vision for my future and my children’s future, along with a deep sense of self-esteem and confidence that drives me forward.”
“I thank RGW for their unwavering support. You’ve given me a new life for me and my children. I suggest that RGW train us on accessing microcredit to strengthen and expand our income-generating activities.”
Abandoned mother with 3 children
Before RGW:
Agnès SABUSHIMIKE is one of the women supported by RGW under the ITOTO project. Here’s her testimony:
“The floods swept away everything I had, including my home. Unable to cope with the pressure, my husband abandoned me, leaving me alone with our three children. I lived in deep distress. My days were spent crying, wondering how I would survive.
To feed my children, I had to work as a mason’s assistant, a grueling job for a woman. We lived in tents in Gatumba, which was a constant source of trauma for me. I felt completely alone, isolated, and without any hope for the future.”
After Joining RGW:
“My life took a new turn thanks to RGW. I attended their sessions on healing and managing emotional trauma. These teachings freed me from the heavy emotional burden I was carrying. Additionally, RGW provided school materials for my children, which brought immense relief.
With the economic empowerment and planning sessions, I started income-generating activities. Today, I earn 10,000 FBU daily, which helps cover household needs and support my family. I no longer live in tents; I now rent a house in Gahahe. Thank you, RGW! I’ve been saved and now have confidence in the future. I am currently attending baptism lessons, and soon, I will be baptized.
The personal fulfillment teachings have been particularly beneficial. They helped me rediscover myself and find a clear vision for me and my children. Now, I live in peace and joy, with renewed self-esteem and confidence in the future.”
“I am deeply grateful to RGW for their support. Thanks to you, I have regained hope and dignity.
I suggest RGW train us on accessing microcredits to further develop our income-generating activities and sustain our achievements.”
Abandoned mother with 5 children
Before RGW:
UWUKWIZERA Jeanne Chantal is one of the women supported by RGW under the ITOTO project. Here’s her testimony:
“Before RGW, my life resembled a dramatic soap opera, without commercial breaks for relief. I was so trapped in my emotional traumas that I discriminated against myself. Yes, you heard right. I would look in the mirror and say, ‘You’re not good enough!’
Christian? Sure, but forgiveness? Not in my vocabulary. My home was a dojo; my children were my verbal punching bags. Prayer was my refuge, but ironically, I was ready to argue with anyone in its name. I was a walking storm, a ‘mama-general’ always at war, but with no army for support.”
After Joining RGW:
“One day, by divine intervention or perhaps the Holy Spirit, RGW entered my life. And friends, I realized I had a big problem (not my kids—me).
I attended teachings on healing and managing emotional trauma. It was like a warm cup of tea on a rainy day: soothing and transformative. RGW even provided school supplies for my children—what a relief! No more choosing between ‘eating today’ and ‘buying notebooks tomorrow.’
The character-building sessions? A must! I learned to plan my life, smile at my neighbors, and most importantly, stop treating my kids like soldiers in an imaginary war.
Today, I sell palm oil, earning a monthly profit of 50,000 FBU, plus peanuts. Who would’ve thought I’d one day have a business (small, but still a business)? I’ve gone from ‘Mama Catastrophe’ to ‘Madame Visionary,’ planning my activities with the precision of a logistics expert.”
Now:
“Goodbye social isolation, hello peace and harmony with my children. I’ve become a local star, a dignified mother. Even neighbors seek my advice (yes, the same ones I used to yell at last year!).”
“Microcredits. Let’s face it, with a bit of financial support, I could become an international businesswoman.
Expand the interventions. The community desperately needs this. Many resort to prayer without addressing their unresolved traumas (I say this with love, of course).
Thank you, RGW, for transforming me. Today, even my children want to hug me, and honestly, that’s a revolution in Tenga.”
Abandoned mother of 6 children
Before RGW:
My life was like cold, flavorless soup: dull, sad, and tasteless. I barely ate (and neither did my children), I turned into a human tornado, hitting them, and my constant headaches made me a walking bell. No roof for my family, no happiness, and certainly no dreams—a real walking disaster.
After Joining RGW:
RGW came into my life like a warm, well-seasoned soup! Through their teachings on healing and emotional management, I learned not only that I have value but that I can shine.
Now, I’m a healed woman, ready to speak in public without shaking (watch out, future politician here!), and my children finally see me as their mom and not a tropical storm.
Relationships with my neighbors? Fantastic! I can smile without overthinking, and they smile back. As for my children, they no longer need to hide when I walk through the door.
Thank you, RGW! But please, keep your promises on income-generating activities (AGR). And if possible, reduce the meetings a bit… because warm soup is best enjoyed alongside sustainable income opportunities!
Mother of 10 children (yes, 10)
Before RGW:
NDABAGOYE M. Rose is one of the women supported by RGW under the ITOTO project. Here’s her testimony:
“Imagine a life where everything irritates you: birds chirping, neighbors greeting you, even a child’s smile. That was me. I was like a dark cloud hovering over Gisyo, ready to thunder at the slightest ray of sunshine.
Traumas? Oh, I had plenty, neatly stacked in my mind. I lived a life filled with negativity, hopelessness, and deep pessimism. My neighbors? All converted into ‘imaginary enemies.’ I spoke to no one without suspicion. My daily life was a dramatic comedy with me as the star of ‘Mama Moody.'”
After Joining RGW:
“Then one day, RGW knocked on my door. At first, I looked at them like they were scammers. But curious (and desperate), I joined their sessions. And friends, my life transformed like beans turning into a festive feast!
The teachings on emotional trauma management were a revelation: my worst enemy wasn’t the noisy neighbor but myself. RGW also provided school supplies for my children—what a relief! I attended planning sessions and, for the first time, learned that life could be organized (even with 10 children—it’s possible!).”
Now:
“Goodbye negativity, hello positivity! Today, I plan my activities like a real project manager. My neighbors? We exchange meals, laughter, and even secrets (yes, I’ve become the neighborhood star).
I’ve also rebuilt my self-confidence. When I look at my children now, I see a bright future instead of an endless list of responsibilities. I’m proud to be NDABAGOYE M. Rose, a woman full of life and vision.”
“Expand interventions in churches. Many pray for forgiveness but forget to heal their traumas first.
Reach other localities. Burundi as a whole could benefit from this positivity revolution.
Thank you, RGW, for transforming me! Today, even the birds I once found annoying sound melodious. Life is beautiful, and I’m ready to dance in the rain.”
Widow with 6 children
Before RGW:
My life was a true dramatic series: constant migraines, insomnia that felt like a nightly marathon, and a leg that seemed ready to abandon me. On top of that, daily quarrels with my sister-in-law turned our home into a battleground. And, of course, poverty was the backdrop, with my children only attending school in my dreams.
After Joining RGW:
Thanks to RGW, it’s like changing the channel! My headaches? Gone. My sleepless nights? Now, I sleep like a baby (without snoring, I promise). As for my sister-in-law, I’ve learned to “tolerate” her—better yet, we coexist peacefully! The highlight of it all: my mute child is now in school, a miracle that has brightened our home and strengthened our family bonds.
A big thank you to RGW for restoring my zest for life and helping me bring order to my home (and my mind!). But, RGW, a little financial support wouldn’t hurt to keep this beautiful story going. School supplies, unfortunately, don’t grow in my garden!
Married and mother of 8 children
Before RGW:
My life was like an overripe banana: lacking structure and falling apart under the slightest pressure. Between emotional trauma, financial struggles, and children without school supplies, I couldn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. To top it all off, my husband ended up in prison, turning my life into a bad daily soap opera.
After Joining RGW:
RGW came into my life like a candle in the darkness (or a warm cup of tea on a rainy day). Through their teachings on emotional management and character building, I learned to put my anxieties aside. Now, I’m an expert in peaceful cohabitation, and even my hypertension has given up (goodbye, doctor visits!).
And here’s the kicker: after RGW’s intense prayers, my husband was released from prison! It felt like Christmas came early. Thanks to their economic training, I started selling charcoal and ripe bananas. I juggle my small businesses like a pro—and I’m even making a profit!
Thank you, RGW, for helping me turn over a new leaf (and saving my daily soap opera from despair). Now, I dream of connecting with microcredit agencies to go even further. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow I’ll be selling eco-friendly charcoal!
Married with 9 children
Before RGW:
My life was like the script of a dramatic movie. Picture this: my husband with a machete, ready to turn me into a tragic heroine! Add to that an empty stomach almost every day and a mountain of psychological stress. I lived in isolation, so much so that even asking my neighbors for salt felt like an impossible mission.
After Joining RGW:
Then RGW entered the picture and turned everything upside down. After the training sessions on healing from emotional trauma, my life went from endless quarrels to a peaceful coexistence. Now, my husband even reminds me on Wednesdays with a smile, “Don’t forget your session at RGW!” He’s gone from falsely accusing me to fully trusting me.
The miracle doesn’t end there—I’ve also learned to socialize! I can now ask for salt without trembling like a leaf.
Gratitude and Suggestions:
Thank you, RGW, for turning my life into a peaceful and loving comedy. But how about a little financial boost for starting income-generating activities? It would be the perfect way to complete this beautiful transformation with an economic touch!
RGW uses four approaches to restore women
