My name is Kamina Feza. I arrived in Goma from Kalemie but I really come from a village 300 km from Kalemie. I was abused in my own village in 2001 during the war of the RCD against Kabila. They took me at midnight, when they found our hiding place in the forest. We had been camping there to escape the war.

Everybody fled but me.  I was in a deep sleep. They took me and raped me. I don't know how many; they were numerous. They stopped at some point when I fainted, and abandoned me. My father came to look for me because you know a parent's love for their child. He ran into the men. They sprayed him with bullets and he died in a field. In the morning, others came to look for me. These people took me to a male nurse who gave me a few injections but he told them that I was seriously wounded and would probably die. Others brought me to some women healers. They put special medicine on my genitals, but it aggravated my injuries.

When I returned to the village, I learned that my mother had died of a pregnancy. I stayed with my three small brothers, trying to take care of them.  The extended family didn't have the means to procure medical care for me. I remained alive to suffer.  But in God's grace, He doesn't abandon his children. A man came to bring a small sum of money from their garden during a lull in the fighting. He met me and I was not ashamed to tell him the truth. This man told me that he didn’t know what to do, but that he could bring me to Kalemie to people of the MONUC (UN peacekeeping force in Congo).  

At MONUC in Kalemie, someone told me that there is a place in Goma called HEAL Africa where they treat women like me. The MONUC contacted HEAL Africa, who arranged transport for me. One morning I was taken to the airport and flown to Goma to be treated at HEAL Africa. There, I was welcomed and have been given a kit for my basic needs.

I came to the hospital very dirty (leaking urine), but our counselors taught me ways to keep myself clean and gave me some lotion and other things.  It feels like I am home.

Here at HEAL Africa we are surrounded by people who care about us, in fact we’re better cared for than some mothers take care of their children. I have received two operations now by the doctors at HEAL Africa. I really appreciate this help.  When it’s time to leave for home, they are going to help me buy other items that will let me start a small business.  I am now respectable.