PFR Women’s Cooperative
It is believed that 78,000 of Rwandan women are HIV positive or have full-blown AIDS. Many of these women are widowed from the genocide and contracted HIV as victims of rape during the 1994 genocide. After the genocide, many of these women were left in total desperation, having lost their families and job opportunities. In 2007, Prison Fellowship Rwanda responded to this crisis by providing training to 35 women with HIV/AIDS to help them generate income to promote economic development and healthy lifestyles.
Through the use of a trained teacher, they learn how to make a variety of crafts. In this way, the women formed a cooperative where funds are shared among themselves in a democratic way to provide for the needs of their families. PFR is educating the women in this cooperative to learn about fiscal responsibility, healthy lifestyles, and PFR also provides one-on-one and group counseling for emotional and spiritual healing. Also, the time the women spend together is also a place for them to come together as a community, singing praise songs together and sharing in friendship. These women are experiencing hope for their health, livelihood, and their families, and we at PFR praise God for this program.
Looking Ahead
Currently PFR is working with the women to help find a more accessible market to sell their crafts and also to expand the variety of crafts made. Please pray that these opportunities become open for the PFR Women’s Cooperative. You can also donate to purchase fabric, sewing machines, or other materials needed to expand their craftsmanship.
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