Mami, just 16 years-old, was held prisoner by a group of armed men in 2002 and raped systematically for months. She escaped and, together with other rape victims, receives support from a WFP-backed non-governmental organisation, located south of Bukavu. Last November, Mami gave birth to a daughter, conceived during her ordeal.

“My mother is dead. Since I was two-years-old, I have lived with my father’s mother. In January last year, after my father went to the forest to earn some money, my grandmother opened the door to a group of seven armed men – a mix of Hutus and Maimais. My grandmother gave them something to eat.

After they had eaten, everything changed. They threatened my grandmother and asked her for money and the three girls living with her. They knew that my grandmother had three girls in her house. By torchlight they looked for us, and took us into the main room.

When people talk of an end to the hostilities, I have difficulty believing it. There are lots of men in the forests. Have they all left? I doubt it
Mami, aged 16

All seven of them raped me. I was a virgin. They left me there on the ground. Then they did things to Sifa and Furaha too, the other two girls there.
Because we found it hard to walk, they made men from the village carry us into the forest that night.

We were presented to the Hutu commander, who said I interested him because he thought I was young and pretty. He showed me four other soldiers, who he said I should serve sexually. That day, the five Hutus raped me. Sifa and Furaha had to serve at least 20 men. It continued for two and a half weeks.

One night, around eight o’clock, Sifa and I asked permission to go and greet some new soldiers, who had just arrived in the camp. As we left the main base, we fled, sleeping the night in the bush.

At the hospital at Walungu, they examined us. We were both pregnant. We were lucky enough to get free treatment up until the birth. Judith, my daughter, was born in November last year.

I love her a lot. For me, she is a sister. Lots of people told me to have an abortion, but I refused because I couldn’t kill a creature of God. I’m also an only child. God has given me a family.

When people talk of an end to the hostilities, I have difficulty believing it. There are lots of men in the forests, who’ve built shelters there. Have they all left? I doubt it.”