12 psychosocial assistants trained by APFDE in Uvira

Uvira, August 7^th, 2021 (CPA).- Twelve (12) psychosocial assistants from the territories of Fizi, Uvira and Walungu in the province of South Kivu, have just completed 10 days of training on case management and psychosocial care and mental health of trauma associated with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in the meeting room of the Association des femmes pour la promotion et le développement endogene (AFPDE). These 12 assistants come from six organizations that are involved in the project to prevent and fight against sexual and gender-based violence in the three aforementioned territories. The objective pursued by this training through the support organizations of this activity including the UN-WOMEN and Women Peace Humanitarian is to strengthen the capacities of these psychosocial assistants (APS) in the fight against sexual violence and contribute to the fight against this phenomenon in the three territories. According to doctor Dévote Ciregano Mulangala, coordinator of the National Mental Health Program at the provincial health division of South Kivu and trainer, little attention is paid to psychosocial and mental health aspects during the care of survivors of violence. sexuality in the DRC while ignoring that psychological problems can proceed, accompany and remain for a long time after the physical problems which can have repercussions on the social functioning of the survivor. Previously, still in the context of preventing and combating sexual and gender-based violence, AFPDE, through local associations in the three territories, set up six listening centers, two of which per territory for the holistic care of at least 2,400 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and trained 120 facilitators from 60 women’s organizations and groups in Uvira, Fizi and Walungu. ACP/