Victims voices
“Since I lost my husband, life had become difficult…in order to survive, I had to send my children to be cared for by members of my family, to allow me a chance to earn a living. I signed myself up for some field days, for which I earned just a small bit of fufu.
We were welcomed by BEATIL-ALT while in a bizarre situation. No experience in business. Little by little I learned to conduct my small business, and BEATIL-ALT helped train me. Now, I have two plots of land, and I have a husband! My husband had his own children and I came with mine, and all have been educated. On one of my plots, I built a house for my children. I already bought a motorcycle to be used as a taxi, and I have two pharmacies. I do my small trade and I’m contributing to the development of my community.
“I was an LRA abductee, and now am married, with three children. I was almost going mad because of the psychological abuse inflicted on me by my partner. Before my husband found a second wife, our relationship was very good, but after she came my husband started fighting and being abusive; he would called me names, referring to me as an LRA returnee and a killer. The more I tried to talk to him, the more torture I got, until I took the issue to the clan members.
“Mary” (not her real name) was abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) when she was nine years old. She was assigned to be a maid and “wife” for Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, and later for another LRA commander. During her captivity, which lasted 11 years and forced her to travel with the LRA into Sudan and the DRC, she was abused, tortured, and severely beaten.