Africa partners win awards for work with women
We are delighted to congratulate two of our partners from Africa who have won prestigious awards for their work with women affected by violence.
Odette Kayirere, founder of AVEGA in Rwanda, has won the 2009 prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Life, given by the Women’s World Summit Foundation.
AVEGA (The Widows Association of the Agahozo Genocide) has been part of our psycho-social programme in Rwanda since the aftermath of the terrible genocide there in the mid-1990’s.
It has helped organise groups of widows in solidarity and support with each other to address the terrible suffering they have endured.
Odette has been involved in numerous activities, including counselling, health centres, education, and gender issues such as violence against women and access to justice.
Meanwhile, Mathilde Muhindo (pictured), director of the Olame Centre, has been awarded the prestigious Alison Des Forges Defender Award for Extraordinary Activism by Human Rights Watch.
The Olame Centre is a women's rights organisation in Bukavu, eastern DR Congo, providing information to the EC and others about the peace programme in South Kivu province.
It monitors information such as whether there are increases in the number of people being forced to leave home, or a rise in the incidents of violence against women by men.
As director of the centre, Mathilde empowers women to fight against discrimination, and the horrific sexual violence that frequently occurs in DR Congo.
Recently, she led a coalition of local women's organizations to advocate successfully for a comprehensive law on sexual violence.
Human Rights Watch says it honoured Mathilde for her “tireless dedication to the safety, health, and rights of the often-forgotten women in eastern Congo”.
Desire Tchato, CAFOD’s Great Lakes programme manager, says: “Thanks to their belief and devotion, these partners have helped poor and vulnerable people to find their dignity and joy in a challenging environment emerging after several years of conflicts and wars.
“These awards are the recognition of the work of great value delivered by our partners in Great Lakes in general, and in DRC and Rwanda in particular.”
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