TO PUT TO LIGHT THE TRAUMA ISSUE AMONG GENOCIDE SURVIVOR PUPILS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

National University of Rwanda
Students’ Association of Genocide Survivors (AERG)
P.O. Box 195 Butare
E-mail: aergunr02@yahoo.fr





HUMURA PROJECT

TO PUT TO LIGHT THE TRAUMA ISSUE AMONG GENOCIDE SURVIVOR PUPILS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CASE STUDY: Secondary School Pupils in former Butare Province





By Pie Eugene RUBAGUMYA
Euthalie NYIRABEGA
Valens BIMENYIMANA














, April 2006




CHAPITRE I: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1. INTRODUCTION

After the 1994 Genocide, Rwanda remained with a lot of physical and mental injuries whose healing will take much time. Thus, since some time, we face a horrifying problem of trauma among many Genocide survivors, especially during commemoration in April. As far as time goes by, that problem gets hardier and it occurs differently in all country’s corners. Anyone who passed through grave events is likely to get trauma. Meanwhile, people manage that problem differently. We realised that children, mainly secondary school pupils, are more attached and sometimes they are obliged to drop studies. It is in that framework that project “Humura” aimed at going deep that issue, giving its evident and latent causes which underlie trauma issue that was crucial in the last two school years (namely 2004 and 2005).

1.1. Statement of the problem

The 1994 Genocide left a lot of people who underwent physical and social damages, directly or indirectly. According to the UNICEF survey, “ thousands of Rwandan children lost their parents or they were separated from them. Almost all children lived traumatising experiences during war, either having seen their family members being tortured or killed in their sight, or being injured or threatened.

Given the fact that many pupils who were still very young in 1994 kept all sad events they have assisted to in their minds, some of them now remember them and get trauma. Other causes underlie trauma among Genocide survivors. First of all, we have environment. Indeed, in some schools, pupils are threatened and ill treated through actions or words by their colleagues, or by some authorities who still keep Genocide ideology. That behaviour affects more those pupils who highly need care and affection in order to overcome the selfless and anxious situation that was caused by the sad and ignominious lose of their beloved family members. In fact, behind the appearance of joy and smile, a deep sorrow is hidden, which, after some time, explodes in trauma. Moreover, in some schools, pupils are refused the right of organizing or participating in commemoration activities, and that raises indignation and frustration which make those children think that they are abandoned to themselves or that their sorrow became commonplace. Let also mention that in some schools, pupils are not authorized to gather in Genocide associations such as AERG that aims at promoting survivors Students’ interests. That association has started in many secondary schools and when pupils meet, they share their experiences and can even find solutions to their problems. When in holydays, those children live in very hard conditions because besides the enormous problems of everyday life, some of them stay in uncertain environment where merchant people threaten or kill them, or they live near places where their relatives are not buried in dignity yet. All those constitute psychological factors that build up and explode in trauma at a small detonation.
Making that issue commonplace or keeping silent with it without tempting to find long term solution would be catastrophic from educators and community in general while we know that that youth is hope and force of the future Rwanda. If this research requires to be carried out, it has also raised two main problems to which we have to find solutions. These are:

1 What are visible and hidden causes that are on basis of trauma among secondary school pupils and what are their consequences?
2 What intervention techniques can educators use to eradicate repeating trauma?

It is in that framework that the Students Association of Genocide Survivors in National University of Rwanda (AERG-UNR), after sad experience of the last two years where many schools had to stop because many pupils had got trauma in April commemoration – and that can even happen again-, undertook a deep research and propose long term solutions to educators and decisions makers in order to face that issue which seems to be repetitive.

1.2. Objectives of the study

As for any research project, our study aims at:

a. Main objective

- Putting to light trauma issue among secondary school survivor pupils by showing its causes and consequences and their negative impact on their life and output. This study will illustrate, through pupils and authorities’ responses, needs in terms of material and psychological help that can diminish that problem.

b. Specific objectives

- Identifying trauma causes and consequences among secondary school pupils
- Gathering views from educators and pupils in order to solve that problem
- Showing the authorities and kind people in charge of people’s well fare needs and measures to be taken in order of achieving effective social integration of survivor pupils
- Proposing long-term solutions about trauma and its underling problems












1.3. Hypothesises

In our research, we will have to verify the following hypotheses:

- Secondary school pupils get trauma because of what they passed through during 1994 Genocide
- Behaviours and environment constitute psychological factors that get increased and finally explode in trauma
- Repeating trauma among pupils has negative impact on their school output
- Knowing basis skills in trauma can be a efficient way of preventing and treating trauma cases in secondary schools

1.4. Interests and limits of the research

A. Interests of the study

First of all, it is the survivor pupils who will benefit from this study, but also the whole community will get aware of their situation and be compassionate. Secondly, decision makers and other people in charge of vulnerable welfare will have credible data from which they can plan actions and strategies for an effective intervention.

B. Limits of the research

First of all, we intend to carry out a pilot test in some secondary schools of former Butare Province. The last ones will be chosen on basis of their location (rural / town). Meanwhile, we hope the outputs to clarify that problem and open ways to durable solutions. The survey will be limited to the 2004 and 2005 school years.

1.5. Methodology

This section deals with the methodology used to gather necessary data that enabled us to answer to our research questions by verifying the above hypotheses in order to reach our objectives.

A. Survey population

As far as the 2004 and 2005 school years served us as reference, our survey population comprises all survivor pupils of former Butare Province who were at school in that period up to now. Indeed, the 6th and 3rd from pupils fulfil the conditions and, given their experience, they will provide credible information about all events of the last two years.






B. Sampling

- At first level, we identified by “descriptive choice” schools which are included in our research. That choice was motivated by the fact that our system is composed of public and private schools on one side, and on other side, we took into account the location of those schools, i.e. in rural areas and in town. The existence of Students’ Association of Genocide Survivors (AERG) in school was also considered as stated in table N 0 1.

- On second level, we identified our sampling by “ simple risky technique” : from a list of students that was made by each school and who get assistance by National Survivors’ Fund, we choose randomly pupils to carry out the survey. Hence, we asked 398 pupils (32.4% of the survey population) as stated in the table below.

- Lastly, in order to complete information provided, we also asked school authorities. We could not ask all proposed candidates (3 persons for each school whose one headmaster, two animators from low and upper classes). Meanwhile, as stated in the table below, we could reach only 19 from 33 who responded to our questionnaire.

Table 1: Recapitulative table of sampling

School
Category
Location
AERG existence
Number of pupils in 2006
Number of pupils asked and (%)
Number of authorities asked
COSTE
Private
Town

101
31 (7.8)
3
Espanya
Private
Town

295
90(22.6)
2
ETN NYANTANGA
Private
Rural
-
50
28 (7.0)
1
GARY SCHEER
Private
Rural
-
87
28(7.0)
2
ETS
Public
Rural
-
14
13(3.3)
2
GSOB
Public
Town
-
82
28(7.0)
2
GSP
Private
Town

340
100(25.1)
1
IMENA COLLEGE OF RINYINYA
Private
Rural

89
25(6.3)
2
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Public
Rural

60
19(4.8)
2
PSB Butare
Private
Town
-
45
15(3.8)
2
SANTA MATERI DEI
Public
Town

37
21(5.3)
3




1226
398(32.4)
19

Source: Compilation of statistics of surveyed schools

Notice: (-) Schools having AERG in
() Schools not having AERG in

B. Survey questionnaire

Two questionnaires have been made, one for pupils and another for authorities. Questions that were asked ought to explicate causes, signs and consequences of trauma among survivor pupils, and the remedy to be proposed. Some questions were closed, other were of multiple-choice type with explanations to help respondents. Data have been treated with SPSS Data Editor Software.





































CHAPTER II. EXPLANATION OF CONCEPTS USED

2.1. “Humura” Project

The word “Humura” can be translated by “ Be comforted “ Don’t be afraid because I am with you, “ Don’t cry, together we will overcome”.

The word “Humura” was largely used to calm a child in error or who is afraid of something. When an adult told him/her “Humura”, she/he felt comforted by that affection.

“Humura” Project is a response and support to children and to the youth who lived terrible Genocide events as stated in the UNICEF report:

“91.1 of children saw their family members dying, 48% were threatened of being killed, 90% had to hide and protect themselves”.

This study deserves to be carried out given the majority of children who underwent a lot of psychological troubles as stated in the Rwandan Government and UNICEF Reports:

- More than 300.000 Rwandan children, especially teenagers, are traumatised and need psychological support, but only 0.1% gets it appropriately.

Otherwise, Humura Project considers figures as ridiculous because a big number of youth (living at home or in adoptive families) live in precarious conditions that can cause trauma.

Moreover, one of the most damages is the lost of hope by the youth among the adults while they need their care and affection. This project intends at promoting dialogue about how to face hard life. On the other side, as mentioned by many authors, trauma can be treated only in the context that saw it arising and developing. Humura Project intends to put to light the socio economical and cultural context around those young such as family and school. For that reason, the intervention towards them passes by local community that integrates and disintegrates them. This phase will put an emphasis on trauma issue by showing its environmental factors. This project will make suggestions that can stop or attenuate its causes among the youth.








2.2. Trauma issue

We are not able to conceptualise exhaustively trauma issue, but we want to give some orientations that may help in apprehending theoretical dimensions on basis of this research.

a) Trauma

Trauma is a Greco term that means injury, damage or disaster. It is associated to a triggering event that left horror signs in the psyche, “ Sad events that left signs in our mind are likely to affect chronically our life”. This conception associates trauma to a behaviour change resulting from victim’s horrors. That book shows that sad event can cause emotional crisis defined as “ a set of disturbances resulting from a violent emotional chock”.

This research will apprehend how secondary school pupils live trauma with reference to the most cited symptoms as indicated by PARLEAMAN:
- Lack of feelings and emotions
- They tend to retire from the public
- They are aggressive, shameful, anxious and remain depressive
- They no longer trust neither in themselves nor in someone else
- They always feel in insecurity because of violence underwent or to which they assisted
- They speak to themselves (monologue)
- Etc.

b) Trauma causes

In case of trauma, some authors insist on individual internal causes, others on types of responses to external stimuli for emotional appearance. In our case, we have both because on one side, survivor students bear in their hearts what they have seen in Genocide, and on the other side, world realities where they live today affect them and trigger emotional appearance that generates in trauma symptoms among them. Hence, on one side, we will take into account their memory states as direct consequences of the 1994 Genocide, and on the other side, relational situations in family or at school and their life conditions.








c) Trauma consequences among pupils

Trauma has serious negative consequences on pupils and on society in general. At individual level, obsession behaviours such as alcoholism, lack of trust in yourself and in others, soleness, hallucinations, are current consequences of trauma. The result is poverty, lack of commitment to work… all these effects don’t affect only young people, but also the whole community and that situation causes social tissue disintegration, deterioration of education system… That is the reason why people have to think about a better psychosocial care as well as at individual and community levels.

d) Orientations of trauma care among youth

As well as psychosocial dimension is composed of domains, that are psychological and social, we won’t lose our time on those two levels because the first derives from Greco “ psyche” meaning soul and from “logos” which means “ science”. It is therefore the soul science. The second one, “social” deals with people in society. Hence, the psychosocial is a part of psychology that studies human nature and the society influence on psychological functions”.

From the two dimensions, psychosocial care will comprise complete services in favour of victims taking into account of:
- Personality system: taking into account that each person is unique and differs from others in how he/she react to a given situation
- Socio economical environment that comprises social interactions (relations), institutional organisation (family, schools…) financial and material resources at the disposal, political environment, etc. considering those orientations, we will analyse information and views from secondary school survivor pupils, and those from their authorities.
























CHAPTER III. DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTEPRETATION

3.1. INTRODUCTION

Considering the 1994 Genocide atrocious consequences on survivors in general and on youth in particular, this chapter aims at presenting, analysing and interpreting data from interviewees. We want to test if trauma really exists in secondary schools, show its causes and consequences, and its negative impact on pupil’s outcome. After that, we will propose intervention ways to overcome those repeating cases of trauma.

3.2. Data presentation, analysis and interpretation

This section is divided into 4 parties as follows:

- Interviews’ presentation
- Different appearances of trauma
- Trauma causes
- Suggestions made

3.2.1. Interviews’ identification

Table 2: Number of pupils interviewed per form

Form
Number of interviewees
Percentage
3rd form
205
51.5
6th form
193
48.5
Total
398
100.0



We would have taken equal number for 6th and 3rd forms, but in some schools, the number of 6th students is low, for that we used a big number in 3rd form. The low number in 6th form is due to the fact that survivor pupils stay down on one side, and that the number of pupils is bigger in lower class than in upper class.

Table 3: Pupils’ identification per sex

Sex
Number of interviewees
Percentage
Feminine
230
57.8
Masculine
168
42.2
Total
398
100.0


The girls’ rate (57.8) is higher than boys (42.2). This constitutes a contradiction with girls’ rate that is usually lower than boys. This is explained by the fact that during genocide, killers targeted men and boys so that now most of survivors are women and girls.


Table 4: Frequentation period of interviewees in the same school:

Number of years
Number of pupils
Percentage
2
28
7.0
3
269
67.6
4
69
17.3
5
2
0.5
6
19
4.8
7
8
2.0
8
3
0.8
Total
398
100.0


As the frequentation period for many pupils is three years (67.6%) and more, we can assess that they master habits, mood and practices of their schools. This makes the answers more credible because they are based on their own experience.

Table 5: Pupils’ identification per age

Age
Number of interviewees
Percentage
Age group
Percentage
14
5
1.3


15
13
3.3
16
41
10.3


17
49
12.3
18
63
15.8
19
53
13.3
20
58
14.6
21
40
10.1


22
28
7.0
23
23
5.8
24
9
2.3
25
5
1.3
26
5
1.3


27
1
0.3
28
2
0.5
29
1
0.3
32
1
0.3


40
1
0.3
Total
398
100.0

The more represented group age is 15-20 years old, and we have 21-25 years old with 26.9%. Considering the two groups, we can assess that the majority age of interviewees was 3 to 7 years old during the 1994 genocide. The age characteristics is very important to understand their psychological needs that the adult world ignore as stated by the UNICEF report: If it is true that family member’s death can trigger a series of problems to child, psychological needs are less perceived than material ones. If we want those children to develop their necessary capacity in order to face hard life, it is indispensable to pay more attention to their psychological needs.

Table 6: Pupils’ identification per province of residence

Province
Number of interviewees
Percentage
South
297
74.6
East
14
3.5
Ouest
21
5.3
Kigali City
66
16.6
Total
398
100.0

It is clear that a big number of interviewees come from Southern Province. This is due to the fact education policy in Rwanda encourages pupils to go to near schools of their residence. From that, we can ‘t extrapolate our results on national territory and on all survivor students. We based our research on Southern Region to verify our hypothesis, hoping that the outputs will offer us the image of how the problem is, especially among secondary school pupils.

Table 7: Interviewees ‘identification according to the housekeeper’s relation
where they live

Relation with housekeeper
Number of interviewees
Percentage
Having two parents
67
16.8
Having one parent
144
36.2
Living with an aunt
47
11.8
Living with an uncle
13
3.3
Brother or sister
39
9.8
Grand father and mother
16
4
Housekeeper
15
3.8
Others
67
14.2
Total
398
100.0

As far as the number of interviewees with one parent (36.2) plus interviewees with two parents constitutes 53%, we realise that 47% of interviewees are orphans without any parent. Among these, those who live with their direct family member (29.6) while housekeepers held 3.8%. Those who live with different people are 14.2%. That is how their vulnerability is explained.
Meanwhile, let know that survivor students are hope and force of “future Rwanda” as stated by Rwandan saying. That is the reason why we have to protect them and let their rights respected. Nevertheless, the following lines show that those pupils live in precarious conditions so that they wonder about they future without parents’ support.


3.2.2. Existence of trauma cases in secondary schools

Table 8: existence of serious trauma cases in schools during two last years


Answers
Number of authorities
Percentage
Number of pupils who got trauma
Percentage
No
17
89.5
133
65.5
Yes
2
10.5
261
33.4
No response


4
0.1
Total
19
100,0
398
100.0

Trauma cases are found in schools as said by the majority of authorities who responded (89.5). Only one-school authorities accepted not having met trauma in their school. A big number of respondents recognized having got grave trauma (33.4%). Four pupils refused to respond. From two tables above, we see that apart from one school, nine remaining knew trauma cases during the last two school years.

Table 9: Trauma cases by sex: authorities’ observations

More cases with:
Number of authorities interviewed
Percentage
Girls
17
89.4
Boys
1
5.3
Both
1
5.3
Total
19
100


89.4% of respondents show that girls are more attached than boys. As explanation, authorities were unanimous to assess that in Rwandan culture, girls exteriorise their feelings and anxiety more than boys, as stated by this saying “ Amarira y’umugabo atemba ajya mu nda”. In order of not being shameful, boy learns how to overcome internal conflicts and problems for a better adaptation as individual and in his society. For that, the trauma explosion in secondary school is rare, and when it happens, it is very difficult to calm it.






Table 10: Trauma symptoms found during last two years: authorities’
Observations

Symptoms
Number of respondents
Percentage
Fear
17
89.5
Hallucinations
17
89.5
Crying in night
15
78.9
Sleepless
12
63.2
Avoiding persons, places recalling Genocide
11
57.9
Keeping silent
14
73.7
Having revenge will
12
63.2
Going out of school without permission
10
52.2
Others (headache, stomach-ache, gynaecological problems, eye ache)
8
42.1


As stated in table above, trauma symptoms in secondary schools are multiple. Authorities told us that pupils cry in night especially in dormitory and they get hallucinations (89.5), others keep silent (73.3) plus avoiding other people (57.9). Some of them don’t sleep (63.2), and that phenomenon results in bad headache, stomachache and eye ache (42.1). Authorities assess they are sometimes bored and don’t know what to do. It therefore requires increasing the number of trauma counsellors and restore former National Survivors employees because they were very useful.

The animators’ role should also be revised, instead of watching over faulty students, but being cooperative and advisors when they notice abnormal behaviours with those pupils.

Table 11: Period of serious trauma cases

Period when pupils got trauma (2004 & 2005)
Number of schools
Percentage
Before Genocide commemoration (January-March)
5
26.3
During Genocide commemoration (April)
11
57.9
May- July
4
21.1
After Genocide commemoration (August- November)
3
15.3




The table above indicates that in April, trauma cases are more serious (57.9). This is crucial period when a lot of people remember genocide sad events they went through or they watched to. Trauma phenomenon decreases in August- November period because after July, school authorities know vulnerable students and they take care of them. But some of them also pass the whole year with trauma. Here are its causes among the youth in secondary schools.

3.2.3. Trauma causes among secondary school pupils

Table 12: Remembering violence actions underwent

Response
Number
Percentage
Having seen barbarism in their sight
253
63.6
Having seen a family member dying
291
73.1
Unable to bury their relatives in dignity
221
55.5
Other Genocide misdeeds (being orphans)
73
18.3

Table above illustrates that 73.1 % of interviewees have seen at least their family member dying, while 63.3% have undergone barbarism acts such as injuries, rape, insults and laugh, or they were hidden for a certain period. Those who could bury they relatives in dignity can get trauma because, according to Kanyangara: “ lack of last sight to dead or kidnapped member forces an individual to organize his/her mourning and that can cause process of interminable pathological mourning.” . The table below is an example of how people diminished in 1994 Genocide.

Table 13: Pupils’ family composition: Before and after Genocide


Before Genocide
Number of respondents
Percentage
Remaining after Genocide
Number of respondents
Percentage
1-3
80
20.2
1-3
223
56.0
4-6
151
38.1
4-6
148
37.1
7-9
136
34.4
7-9
24
6.0
10-12
24
6.1
10-12
2
0.5
>12
8
2.0
>12
0
0
Total
398
100

398
100



This table shows that the family size which was 20.2 % (1 to 3 family members) rose up to 56.0%. That demographic decrease was not due to family planning, but to genocide that took away theirs, and they are seriously affected, particularly when they meet hard problems.
3.2.3. Causes of school environment

3.3.2.1. Use of bad talks that can trigger trauma by pupils and by educators:
Interviewees’ observations

Table 14: Use of bad word by pupils and educators at school

Existence of bad word
Number of interviewees
Percentage
Yes
169
42.5
No
229
57.5
Total
398
100.0

Pupils confirmed that some animators and their colleagues use bad word towards them, but they are afraid of denouncing them in order of not being punished. In some schools, authorities noticed that and reacted, while in others they kept silent and become suspicious with them.

Table 15: Hierarchy of traumatising words used: Interviewees’ Observations

Identified words by interviewees
Number of interviewees per 169
Percentage
Sorrow words
169
100
Bad words
118
69.8
Insults
29
17.1
Others
59
34.9

The table below shows that sorrow words represent 100%, while insults are 69.8%. the last ones present genocide as logic consequence of what victims deserved; when some pupils say that survivors seek to be seen only. Comrades conclude that survivors are liar and sometimes indict family members who never participated in Genocide. Insults are lees used at schools because perpetrators are afraid to be seriously punished if they are accused. Other way of trauma is genocide denial, the jet of tracts in public places, and even terrorism acts. The main cause of this remains some favours offered to survivor students by National Survivors Fund that seem to be more than material aid given to other students (by the Ministry of Local Administration).








3.2.3.1.2. Trauma cases in relation to authorities’ behaviour

Table 16: Authorities ‘behaviour as trauma causes among pupils at school

Causes
Number of respondents
Percentage
Bad behaviour during Genocide commemoration
310
77.9
Genocide ideology
96
24.1
Bad treatment
69
17.3
To feel alone
102
25.6
Others
130
32.7

Interviewees confirmed that trauma at school is caused by:

On one side, authorities’ negligence, especially some animators, during genocide commemoration (77.9%). on other side, unsafe environment where survivor pupils feel alone, or are ill-treated at school and genocide ideology. all represent 67%. Other causes mentioned deride from physiological crisis such as stomachache, head ache and eye ache that authorities take less care of.

3.3.2. Trauma cases in relation to bad life conditions in family

Table 17: Bad social conditions in relation to home family

Existence of bad social conditions as trauma causes
Number of respondents
Percentage
Yes
343
86.2
No
51
12.8
No response
4
1.0
Total
398
100.0

The majority of respondents assess the survivors’ bad social conditions are the main cause of trauma (86.2%), while only 12.8% said no.













Table 18: Hierarchy of bad social conditions that were identified as trauma
Causes

More cited social conditions
Number of respondents
Percentage
Discrimination within family
185
46.5
Rejection by receiving family
180
45.2
Being always faulty in receiving family
178
44.7
No visit at school
172
43.2
Not having someone to give his/her points paper
136
34.2
Other family conditions
72
18.1


The social conditions above are more relational among the multiple ones. It is clear that those young lack affection that is more important. These conflict situations are due to the fact that the majority of interviewees constitute the group age of 15 up to 20 years old who are self confident and tends to be independent. On other side, receiving families are not prepared to those situations. They think the received children are incorrigibles. The small beginning conflict can get harder if it is not well managed. The country should consider this issue by putting in place social workers and counsellors for all family members. Among other causes cited, we can mention hard jobs comparatively to their physical capacity, and not being free of visiting their comrades and relatives, etc.

Trauma causes in relation to the lack of economical material needs

Table 19: Bad economical material conditions in receiving families

Bad relations due to
Number of respondents
Percentage
Families steal the received child’s property
173
43.5
Lack of school material
227
57.0
Difficult of getting return tickets
242
60.8
Inequity of home material
254
63.8
Deep poverty
243
61.1
Others
38
9.5

The table below shows that pupils lack vital minimum for better study. This is explained by their deep poverty (61.1), difficult to get return tickets and the lack of school material. It is understandable that spend their time in searching how to meet all those needs while they could get solutions from their parents (if they were alive). This is the main cause of their failure in school and psychological trauma follows. The last cause is that receiving family first of all shows interested with the child hiding the ambition of appropriate the child’s legacy (houses, account in banks…).

3.4. Trauma consequences

Table 20: Trauma consequences towards pupils: school authorities’ observations

Consequences
Number of respondents
Percentage
Serious indiscipline cases
1
5.2
Moving from schools
7
36.8
School dropping
5
26.3
Bad note (points)
4
21.0
Others
2
10.5

Moving from school was a the most trauma consequence that was cited by school authorities (36.8%). after that we have school dropping representing 26.3 %, while many of them obtain bad marks (21%) and therefore, they are obliged to resume their studies. Another cause is that these children cannot concentrate in school because of bad souvenirs. Otherwise, Genocide survivor pupils are sent at home or to hospital where they stay many days without studying.

Table 21: Trauma consequences towards school organisation: authorities’
observations


Consequences
Number of schools
Percentage
Small consequences
Serious consequences
Very serious consequences
No visible consequences

Total
4
4
9
2

19
21.1
21.1
47.7
10.5

100.0


3.5. Psychosocial care within schools

3.5.1. Commemoration activities within schools

Table 21: Existence of commemoration activities within schools

Existence of commemoration activities within schools
Number of respondents
Percentage
Yes
56
14.1
No response
340
85.5

2
0.5




The table below illustrates that many schools don’t celebrate Genocide commemoration. Pupils confirmed that they are usually invited by near political institutions such the district and others. This increases their trauma risks because they don’t find counsellors when they come back to schools. It is worth wondering if it should be better to organise internal activities within schools instead of mixing children with adults while we can’t provide them moral and material support after those affecting ceremonies.

Table 22: Satisfaction with regards to Genocide commemoration within schools

Response
Number
Percentage
Yes
48
85.7
No
8
14.3
Total
56
100.0


The majority of respondents assessed to be satisfied with commemoration activities that are organised around their schools. Respondents have also ordered them according to what they prefer and wish to be organised each April given its moral interests

Table 23: The more preferred commemoration activities

Identified activities
Number of respondents
Percentage
Testimonies
47
83.9
Conferences
16
28.5
Prays
23
41.0
Films
19
33.9
Mourning fire
30
53.5
Mourning songs
16
28.5
Others
33
58.9
No response
-



From 56 respondents who confirmed the existence of Genocide commemoration activities in their schools, 83.9 % have appreciated the mourning fire (Igishyito). Songs and conferences are less interesting. Others are related to visits by authorities of Genocide Survivors in crisis such as Students’ Association of Genocide Survivors (AERG).
Most of Genocide survivors develop trauma symptoms that can be chronic or diverse. In all cases people develops a pathological mourning. We should create appropriate environment to manage trauma issue within schools instead of letting pupils live stressing moments alone.





3.5.2. Psychosocial care with regards to traumatised people

Table 24: Pupils ask assistance from school authorities when trauma issue
occurs

Response
Number
Percentage
Yes
274
68.8
No
114
28.6
No response
10
2.5
Total
398
100


Interviewees confirm that they don’t reveal their issue to authorities for two reasons:
First of all, survivor students share most latent trauma cases; therefore, they support each other by group therapy. They only warn authorities in difficult cases and these always respond positively. When we asked them to mention recent cases they remember, they assessed that discipline authorities’ role in 2004 and 2005 was highly appreciable. Secondly, they confirmed that they rely on survivor authorities to which they tell the problem. In lack of these, they prefer to keep silent.

Table 25: How authorities receive traumatised pupils

Reception
Number of respondents
Percentage
Very bad
2
0.5
Bad
16
4.0
Less
163
41.0
Good
150
37.7
Very good
53
13.3
No response
14
3.6
Total
398
100

As far as the above classification is concerned, respondents told us that in 2004& 2005, some discipline authorities did not take into consideration the trauma issue as serious problem and in some cases they rejected patients. In some schools, those bad authorities were even suspended.

Table 26: Hierarchy of trauma care in serious trauma cases

Who helps you more in trauma issue?
Number of respondents
Percentage
Authorities
308
77.4
Teachers
54
13.6
Pupils each other
346
87.4
Counselling agents
93
23.4
Medical doctors
192
48.2
Others
42
10.6
No response
2
0.5

As stated in the table below, teachers are less implicated in the matter. Interviewees told us that many teachers do their job normally and don’t care of pupils’ life. Medical intervention was visible in 2004 and 2005, while counselling agents are resorted to in serious trauma cases. This is the explanation of their small intervention. Pupils wish permanent counselling instead of calling them in urgent situation.

Table 27: Hierarchy of psychosocial trauma care in serious trauma cases

Who helps you more in trauma cases?
Number of respondents out of 133
Percentage
Authorities
32
24.0
Teachers
6
0.4
Pupils
74
55.6
Counsellors
16
12.0
Medical doctors
35
26.3
Parents
28
21.0
Others
35
26.3
No response
2
0.1

The table above indicates that first of all pupils helped each other in last two years. Even in serious trauma cases, they did the same, secondly they were assisted by school authorities and lastly by medical staff and others. Let mention that among the others we have AERG members from National University of Rwanda who intervened usefully in 2004 and 2005.

Table 28: Authorities’ considerations with regards to trauma

Views given
Number of respondents out of 398
Percentage
Grave disease
38
9.5
Serious problem
230
57.8
Don’t mind
25
6.3
Pupils lie
42
10.6
Don’t understand
31
7.8
Others
22
5.5
No response
10
2.6
Total
398
100.0

The majority of respondents confirmed that during the last two years, school authorities took trauma as serious problem (67.3%), while another part said that some authorities are less favourable, either because they don’t understand anything about the issue, or because they make it commonplace (32.2). ten respondents did not provide an answer. While we asked the respondents to clarify their answers, those who told us that school authorities take care of traumatised pupils have appreciated their job, while negligent authorities abandon pupils in dormitory and only their comrades look after them. Some authorities don’t give tickets to traumatised pupils who need to go home. Therefore, pupils do it themselves. The research showed that some authorities try to hide trauma cases in their schools instead of treats them, as it is required. There is also kind of discrimination where some authorities take care more of rich pupils and seem not to mind for poor children.

Table 29: Ways used by authorities to help traumatised pupils


Ways used
Number of respondents
Percentage
To calm students
174
43.7
To take them to hospital
309
77.6
To bring a counsellor to school
23
5.8
To let pupils go back home
148
37.2
Others
36
9.0
No response
2
0.5

It results from the table above that the majority of traumatised pupils are directly brought to hospitals (77.6%). Secondly, many of them stay at school (43.7%) and 37.2 % go home. Among other ways, pupils mentioned soldiers who come to calm them and assure their security. Schools mostly bring pupils to hospital while counselling agents come secondly. Thus, “prevention is better than cure” that is the reason why pupils suggest regular consultation with counsellors who still don’t exist in many schools.

3.6. Solutions made by interviewees

In order to diminish trauma issue in schools, interviewees have made following solutions to major problems:

3.6.1. Propositions to schools authorities

- To set up a permanent counselling service and engage trained agents who can intervene in the neighbouring schools
- To elaborate a civic education program that will eradicate Genocide ideology
- To frequently visit pupils in order to show them sympathy and affection
- To organise counselling trainings in order to equip pupils with basic skills with what they can help their comrades in crisis

3.6.2. Pupils’ propositions

- To meet their basic needs on due time such school material and return tickets
- To organise trauma trainings so that pupils can help their colleagues and learn to live with trauma
- To promote solidarity actions and recreation movies in order to avoid being alone for a long time
- To organise trauma trainings for their receiving family members
- The government should help victims in rehabilitating their damaged property
- To continue commemoration activities where an emphasis should be put on past lessons for a better future
- To sensitise adult people on hear and dialogue with the youth
- To punish severely all bad words in order to eradicate hate
- To set up a judicial advisory system for survivor pupils that could intervene in litigation cases with other people, especially with regards to their property

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMANDATIONS

A) Conclusion

Having realised that trauma phenomenon is serious among many Genocide survivors in general secondary school pupils in particular where some of them are some times obliged to drop their studies, this research aimed at putting to light that problem, its causes and its impact. Information gathered from 398 pupils and 19 school authorities from 11 secondary schools of former Butare Province show that our research hypothesises have been confirmed. Let remind that the last two years (2004 and 2005) served us as reference for hypothesises verification.

First of all, secondary school pupils get trauma due to atrocious actions they met in 1994 Genocide. Therefore, 9 schools out of 11 recognised having known trauma cases in the last two years while 133 pupils accepted that they got serious trauma cases in that period. Among the various symptoms that appeared, we can mention fear, hallucinations, crying in night, keeping silent, sleeplessness, etc. these troubles occur often in April and they are caused by the remind of barbarism acts that were committed in their sight such watching your family members being killed, spending long hours in hiding-place, etc.

Secondly, educators’ behaviours and the environment constitute psychological factors, which accumulate slowly and lastly explode in trauma. The fact was confirmed by interviewees, accepting that some pupils and authorities use bad words and that can cause traumatic troubles among survivors. The bad social relations with receiving families and the lack of basic material also amplify trauma issue.

Thirdly, interviewees showed that repeating trauma has negative impact on survivor pupils’ outcome, especially in schools, where some of them get very bad marks or become indiscipline that sometimes lead to school dropping.

Lastly, we realised that basic skills in trauma and their application can greatly help in case trauma occurs in school before resorting to other people such as medical doctors. Thus, pupils regret the fact that some authorities, in ambiguous situation, hurry in bringing attached pupils at hospital while they could cure even at school by using those basic techniques. Interviewees propose to set up permanent counselling service in neighbouring schools in order to prevent trauma cases instead of intervening when it is declared or later.

B) Recommendations

As far as trauma problems are concerned among secondary schools pupils, we would like to make recommendations to all people in order to think of their better psychosocial care and of effective integration in the evolving Rwandan society. We focused our recommendations to students and their receiving families, schools’ authorities, Genocide Survivors’ Associations, other organisations, and to Rwandan government.

We recommend to Genocide survivor students:
- To envisage excellency and competition because some of them are accused of not committing to studies
- To be more disciplined and keep solidarity spirit
- Not to resign before hard life, but to fight for a bright future
- To remember their tragic past time and work hard because they have no other source
We recommend the receiving families to:

- To know that those teenagers need more affection and avoid loyalty conflicts
- To engage franc dialogue with the youth they look after by using “ Win-Win” method in order to manage together relational conflicts they meet
- To visit pupils at school and enquire about their discipline

We recommend the Genocide Survivors’ Associations to:
As far as counselling benefits are concerned, they should:
- Enlarge operational counselling system to schools
- Intervene in receiving families in order see what goes on there
- To carry out regular follow-up in schools for knowing how survivor students are
- Carry out scientific researches in order to make an inventory of survivors’ problems in general and students ‘problems in particular
- Participate in solving their problems, either materially or at advocacy level
- Participate in decisions-making by administration authorities with regards to survivors’ assistance
- Set up middle and long-term strategic planning according to the objectives set with regards to survivors’ assistance

We recommend schools’ authorities:

- To authorise the formation of solidarity associations because these can enhance mutual support and help group therapy
- To avoid all discriminatory and humiliation actions towards pupils who have psychological troubles in order to facilitate their psychosocial integration.
- To be more affective and compassionate towards pupils, especially those with psychological troubles
- To make advocacy to public institutions and other organisations that can help those pupils
- To reintegrate former National Survivors’ Fund employees and redefine their attributions
- To improve teaching methodology because some schools have a big number failures among their students

We recommend the Rwandan government to:

- Continue total assistance to vulnerable survivors i.e. the payment of school fees and necessary material distribution
- Reintegrate former National Survivors’ Fund employees for better care of survivors’ problems
- Provide trainings to psychosocial interveners and other people who are in contact with pupils
- Assist the receiving families for a better material care
- Maintain and reinforce all kinds of solidarity meetings during holidays because they enable students to share their experience and information and to learn bravery and patriotism
- To promote leisure opportunities and meetings where all youth classes of Rwandan society can learn civic education especially with regards to justice, unity and reconciliation, and other development programs
- Plan deep national research of psychosocial and economical life conditions of survivors in general, with an emphasis put on students and on orphans who are housekeepers.



END

Tourism: an industry to promote

Emmanuel Mungwarakarama
Nyungwe park
Date : Jan 30, 2007



An extensive network of well-maintained walking trails leads through the forest to various waterfalls and viewing points. Well-trained guides, camp sites and specific tours make Nyungwe forest a special income-generating spot.

Can Nyungwe forest welcome more tourists and therefore create more job opportunities to the neighboring locals citizens?

A uniquely rich centre of floral diversity, Nyungwe forest has at least 250 different types of trees and a myriad of flowering plants. The forest hosts 140 types of colorful orchids, 4 groups of primates: 13 species in all, including humankind’s closest living relative, the chimpanzee, blue monkeys, mangabeys, as well as black and white colobus monkeys.

“If maintaining the same prices can protect and facilitate the park conservation, it should be a way of improving this tourism industry in the country,” said Mike Macfadyen, an American environmental researcher from Alaska.

Prices are high, Macfadyen complained.
“This limits access to the forest, but it is also better for park conservation.”
It costs $10 US/1000 Rwf for locals to enter the park and $20 U$/2000 Rwf for foreigners.

Even if prices are high, the number of tourist increases year after year. In 2000, 500 people came, whereas in 2006, the number grew to 3878. Most of them come from Britain, America and Germany.

“Making a choice is so difficult as we have different trails,” said guide Edward Bahizi. “Each is different from another, and as we are taking the pink route, we will meet a waterfall, different types of trees like mahogany and you can even meet birds.”
Bahizi, a trained guide, is healthy, weighing in at 100 kilos. He looks like a young man but he is 35. He speaks 8 different languages.

Nyungwe does, however, deserve more time. Anybody who wants to track chimps and see several varieties of smaller primates will need two days there - and dedicated birdwatchers might never want to leave! Good hours to see chimps are between 6 and 9 in morning.


The Park covers more than 1000 square kilometers of rugged terrain, spanning an altitudinal range from 1600 to 1950 m.

Extending across the majestic hills of southeast Rwanda, Nyungwe National Park is the largest forest in East or Central Africa with 1030 Km2.

Nyungwe’s overall biological diversity has earned it a place on many lists of priority sites for conservation in Africa.
“The uniqueness of this park, and what makes it different from other parks in the world, is here you can find the specified tour sites,” said Macfadyen Adding to this Mike showed that if there was no planned way to provide guides, the conservation would be hard.
Aside from preserving the diverse flora and fauna in Nyungwe, conservation of the forest is important for scientific and sociological reasons, too.
“A French researcher has produced medicine from the trees found in this park,” said Edward.
According to the tourism website, bamboo blankets much of the extreme south-eastern portion of the park. Flooded forests, marshes, and open herbaceous slopes are interspersed throughout. The fauna of Nyungwe reflects this floral diversity.
“Nyungwe Forest acts as the water catchment for about 70 percent of Rwanda,” said Anet Tamale, an ORTPN Public relations office staff. “As such, it protects a major watershed for surrounding communities as well as those further downstream”
People living near the forest experience longer periods of rain each year, supporting their farming activities around the forest. Streams that flow from Nyungwe feed into the Nile and Congo basins.
Tourism in Nyungwe generates some revenue for the national parks and benefits Rwanda’s economy at large.
“A percentage from the income goes to the district level so it can help in building community capacity” confirmed Anet Tamale.
Nyungwe faces several major threats, which stem from the high human pressure around the forest and the need for more land or alternative sources of income.