Marie

Marie comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo where civil war and the presence of foreign militia have led to widespread sexual violence against women and girls.

Marie’s life was changed irrevocably when six Rwandan militiamen appeared at her door demanding money. When she told the men that she did not have any they took it in turns to rape her.

Her husband was away at this time, but when he found out what had happened to her he left. An orphan herself, Marie was left to look after her four children, destitute and alone.

Her fortunes turned around when a priest put her in touch with CODILUSI, a SCIAF-funded organisation which provides assistance to the victims of sexual violence. Thanks to your donations, Marie saw a nurse and received medicines and clothes for her children.

Using a micro credit loan from CODILUSI she bought some flour from a market 50 kilometers away and sold it in her village where there was a shortage. She was so successful that her loan was extended and she has since been able to make improvements to her house and earn a small income from renting out a room.

Marie now has a secure income with which she can feed her children and CODILUSI are paying for their school fees. As she is an orphan herself, the organisation has been like a family to her. She doesn’t know how to thank them.