Africa

Almandine Bertain* (name changed to protect identity) lay in bed in Rwanda waiting to die from an AIDS related illness. With no family of friends to support her, she had given up hope.
But hope and a new beginning soon came for Almandine in the form of Violete* (name changed to protect identity), a volunteer with the YWCA of Rwanda.

In 2007, The Human Rights Watch (HRW) conducted a research on how violence against women, domestic abuses and women’s insecure rights to property affect women’s access to HIV and AIDS treatment in Zambia. An informal lunchtime seminar was hosted by the UNAIDS on January 29 in Geneva. Nada Mustapha Ali, a researcher at the Human Rights Watch presented a report on the research.

Violence erupted in Kenya after results of the December 27 election were announced. The opposition claim the election was rigged in favour of the incumbent Mwai Kibaki. Houses were set ablaze, people killed and business looted for several days following the announcement of the disputed election results. Nearly 500 people have died and 250,000 people are displaced as they flee violence and search for safety. Amidst the violence women have been systematically raped and abused.

Zambia’s women activists on Monday in Lusaka called for stiffer penalties against men who violently and sexually abused females in the country.

The YWCA of Rwanda honoured 24 women from their community at a World YWCA Day celebration held on April 23, 2007. A contribution of USD 1,000 was made to the Power to Change Fund in honour of the women who were nominated for their commitment to the association, their role as exemplary leaders, and the impact their work has had in bringing change to the community.

Jacqueline Mukamusana and Pudentienne Uzamukunda, Executive Secretary and President YWCA Rwanda respectively, presented a contribution of USD 730 to Dr. Musimibi Kanyoro, General Secretary, World YWCA on August 26th, 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Each member of the 1,000 member strong association has committed to contribute one dollar (US) towards the World Council.

The missionary Bishop Tugwell founded the YWCA of Nigeria in April 1906 in Abeokuta, a city in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria. A year of festivities to mark the centenary begun at the founding city in April 2006 and concluded in September with a colorful celebration in Lagos.

A Zambian nongovernmental organisation (NGO) revealed this week that it records eight cases of rape of young girls every week at its centre in the capital, Lusaka.

The statistics were released by the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Zambia to mark the start of the global campaign, '16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence', which runs from 25 November - International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women - until International Human Rights Day on 10 December.

YWCA Ethiopia now online!