SOFIBEF is based in Tanzania but working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since 1998, the DRC has been torn by civil conflict exacerbated by alliances between warring groups and factions in neighboring counties. Current estimates are that as many as 3 million people have died in the conflict, which has no end in sight, though the new president, Joseph Kabila has responded to overtures for a UN peace keeping force. Women, predictably, have been especially vulnerable to the violence, suffering arbitrary exposure to torture, rape, enslavement, and displacement.

The Martín-Baró Fund is supporting an ongoing program called “Women’s Human Rights and Mental Health of Survivors in Fizi Territory.” Over thirty volunteer advocates have been trained to work with women affected not only by war-related brutality, but also by sexual harassment and domestic violence. This project supports these women through public education about, and advocacy for, human rights. It offers programs including art therapy, hospital visits, counseling, and post traumatic stress disorder management, as well as training in basic survival skills. The women are also producing a newsletter featuring historical figures of women who have experienced mental health problems. Of particular interest is the project’s work with families, to help them understand the multiple assaults and hardships faced by the women and to offer ways that family members can help. Its ultimate goal is to enable women to recover from assaults on their mental health and to develop the skills necessary to achieve greater self reliance.