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Mahler, Bethany and Ntakarutimana, Florence and Niyongabo, Adrien (2007). Now I Am Human: Testimonies from the healing companions program in Rwanda and Burundi PeaceWays AGLI. 2(2).

With funding from the United States Institute of Peace, the Thomas H and Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Bequest Funds, the American Friends Service Committee, and individual donors plus support from the African Great Lakes Initiative's general funds, the Friends Peace House of Rwanda has held 75 Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC)workshops throughout Rwanda since 2003. To evaluate the impact of these workshops, we have interviewed 25 past participants, facilitators, friends of participants, and community members to see how HROC has touched people's lives and how it can be improved upon in the future. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Those who were interviewed described significant changes in their lives since attending the workshop as well as the lives of those around them. From a decrease in trauma symptoms to a newfound desire to seek and grant forgiveness, participant after participant recounted personal transformations precipitated by HROC." (excerpt)

Link: http://www.aglionline.org/publications/peaceways/fall2007/PWfall2007.pdf

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