Angela's story

Angela was in a loving marriage and her husband had a well-paid job. Her young family had a bright future - until the night their home was attacked by rebels. Angela’s husband was shot dead, and she was raped by nine men in front of her children. She contracted HIV as a result of the rape.

Since her rape and diagnosis, she and her family have found it hard to integrate into the community. She had been struggling to earn enough money to feed and clothe her children.

Angela is stigmatised in her community. She is never at peace. People talk about her and her children - the family have been traumatised and treated unfairly.

Other children say to them, ‘Your father was killed and your mother was raped. She is HIV+ so maybe you are too’.

Life is extremely hard for people like Angela. Thanks to money raised in Scotland, she is now receiving medical treatment for her HIV and counselling so she can begin to recover. We've also helped Angela to start her own small business so she can become financially independent. With the advent of coronavirus, we will continue to help people like Angela with medical treatment and essential food supplies, as well as clean water and soap so they are able to protect themselves and their families.

You can help women like Angela. SCIAF is dedicated to providing support to thousands of women who have suffered sexual violence and are now facing coronavirus. Together, we will ensure these communities who were already living on a knife edge are not forgotten.

For my future, I think only of my children and how they can grow and how I can continue with my business.