FAMAFamille Maintenant

(Family Now!)

Great Lakes Region• FAMA Ministries is located in the

Great Lakes Region of Central Africa in the city of Bukavu, Congo, an area rich in God's natural resources and beauty. 

• It consists of five countries, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

• The focus of FAMA will be 3 of these 5 countries; they are Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. 

• The population of these three countries is approximately 90 million people

FAMA’s Mission

Rebuilding, restoring, and protecting the family in the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa, particularly Rwanda, DR Congo, and Burundi

The Family• The family has been the principal victim of civil and tribal

wars, massacres and genocide. • Some families lost children while others lost parents.• Family goods were either pillaged or destroyed. • Some families had to move for safety reasons abandoning

their fields and herds. • Other families were ravaged by the rape of mothers and

daughters. • Through all this, poverty and misery became the lot of most

families in the region.

Genocide in Rwanda 1994

Harsh Devastation-Rwanda

• One million lives were lost, leaving children without parents, parents without children and many women as widows. 

• Another travesty was the rape and torture of women from the soldiers. 

• The borders are not secured.  Kidnappings and abductions of children are common.

RWANDA

The Genocide Memorial in Kigali, has 13 mass graves which hold the remains of over 250,000 victims of the genocide.

Tribal war in Burundi since 1993

Harsh Devastation-Burundi

• It is estimated that over 300,000 lives have been lost in Burundi since 1993 due to tribal and civil wars. Although the numbers of deaths are not as high as in Rwanda, families were destroyed. 

• Rape, again was a weapon of war which leaves women rejected by families and the babies conceived are abandoned. 

• HIV is also a serious issue in this country, leaving babies and children orphaned.

Militia Wars in DRC since 1996

Harsh Devastation-DRC

• Since 1996, Congo has experienced a series of wars including political wars, tribal wars, and wars of ethnic cleansing that have resulted in the loss of over 4,000,000 lives.

• Due to these wars, 400,000 people have fled to seek refuge in both neighboring countries and around the world.

• Over 300,000 child soldiers were enrolled and used to commit all manner of violence. These young men are now returning to their communities only to find themselves rejected and outcast by even their families.

FAMA Responds

• Education of Children

• Women and Girls Victimized by Rape

• Rehabilitation of Pygmy Families

• Children Leaving the Army or Militia

Education of Children Because of wars, poverty, and displacement of

families for safety reasons, many children continue to abandon school.  Some prefer to spend their time in the street begging and stealing; others are used in work that is beyond their physical abilities as children; others become petty thieves.  All children have the right to an education, however, and that right has not been respected. 

FAMA's goal is to give orphan children from 6-20 years old the opportunity to study, guaranteeing their future on both a personal and global level.  By providing tuition and school supplies for 200 children, FAMA hopes to prepare a better future for the children, their families and respective countries

Rape VictimsWar brings with it a multitude of horrendous consequences. One was rape of women and girls.  Some women and girls were raped by dozens of men while their parents, husbands and children were forced to watch.  Victimized women and girls committed suicide because they were ashamed to appear in public.  Some women were ostracized or even kicked out by their families.  Others contracted HIV.  Others bore children conceived when they were raped.  These children are unwanted and are tormented by horrible memories.  In some cases, even some of the husbands and children committed suicide because their wives, mother and sisters were raped.

PYGMY FAMILIES The Pygmies in the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa have

long been the poorest and the most ostracized of all people groups in this already impoverished region. While others support themselves through agriculture and raising livestock, the Pygmies have no land and have historically been a nomadic people surviving as hunters and gatherers. Today, because the forests have been ravaged through years of war, Pygmy families are forced to beg for food. Concerned with basic survival, the education of children holds little importance to parents.

FAMA seeks to change this cycle of poverty by supporting the education of Pygmy children. 75 children whose families are completely illiterate are attending school for the first time. FAMA provided these children with school supplies, school clothes and shoes and continues to follow up regularly with the schools to ensure

that the children are making progress.

MILITIA CHILDREN• Throughout the last decade, Rwanda, Burundi, and Congo

have experienced horrendous war and genocide. Thousands of children were either forced to enroll or were bought for a few pennies, believing they had found a solution to their misery. These children were used to commit all kinds of violence. Today, since peace is returning with democratic elections and the formation of national armies, many of these exploited children are demobilized and forced to return to civilian life. These children are known for the violence are not accepted when they return to their home towns. Nevertheless, they must live a civilian life. Reconciliation is needed. Retooling is also needed so that these children can earn a living in some way other than by using weapons. FAMA, in conjunction with other organizations, is training these young people in trades such as brick making, carpentry, welding and other trades.

FAMA and HELP International

• In 2008, HELP International filled two containers to FAMA Ministries-Burundi and Rwanda

• In 2009 we hope to fill a container for DR Congo

WILL YOU HELP?

• Contributions made to FAMA helps in the funding of programs and the shipping of much needed containers

• For more information see our website at www.famaministries.org