COPERMA, the French acronym for Farmers’ and Breeders’ Community in the Cold Region, received new funding from the MBF after receiving funding from 2012-2014. COPERMA has been working in rural communities in the region since 1983 with the goal to foster development and self-sufficiency within young mothers and all survivors of sexual violence. Near-constant armed conflict in the region has contributed to large-scale sexual violence by soldiers, mainly against women.

With this new grant, two certified Congolese psychologists will train two female village elected community leaders in ten villages where COPERMA has an established presence, to act as urgent and available support for new and old cases of sexual violence.  These “listeners” will be trained in active listening and sensitized on sexual violence and stigmatization issues to be able to effectively hear and respond to survivors. They will also be trained in advocacy when accompanying survivors to often overburdened healthcare facilities, including knowledge of contraceptive and emergency medical care.

The project will also feature weekly group and individual counseling sessions.  Working in groups is believed to decrease survivor isolation and strengthen their perceived roles in the community.  When survivors show advanced traumatization, such as complete withdrawal from the community/daily activities, COPERMA psychologists will do individual counseling with them.  A vocational training component will also be part of the project, involving sewing, soap-making, and bread-making, to help integrate the survivor into the community both socially and financially, combating stigmatization and ostracism which is common in Congolese communities.  COPERMA maintains that the ability to support oneself and one’s family is vital for community acceptance and thus survivor quality of life and mental health.