Under the auspices of Prof. Denis MUKWEGE, Ms Christine DESCHRYVER, National Vice-President of V-DAY and Director of the „City of Joy“ awarded 90 girls with a certificate of readiness to face the future. Trained at the City of Joy for a period of 6 months, they integrated the cohort of women engaged in the direct transformation of the society.

They came broken, demeaned and humiliated, they were transformed into leaders, and now returning with a commitment to take back their land. The “City of Joy“, the legal clinic, the DORCAS house and the ICART international center are the institutions that form the Panzi Foundation.

On this day of June 15, 2017, the „City of Joy“ has crowed its 11th promotion with honor and joy. The provincial authorities were represented by the Honorable KINJA MWENDANGA, Quaestor of the Provincial Assembly of South Kivu.

Ms. Christine DESCHRYVER outlined, in her introductory remarks, the activities during the 6 months of training, with access mainly to psychological recovery and socio-economic reintegration, both of which are part of the One Stop Center Care for victims of sexual violence, which is the basis of the action of the Panzi Foundation.

« The people who harmed you, thought that you were finished, but here at the „City of Joy“, we recovered you and poured drops of love on you like a watering a flower during the rainy season. Today you have become real flowers. The doctors looked took care of your body recovery and we took care of the rest, « said Ms. Deschryver.

The day was animated by drumbeats, dance, funny plays and a fashion show in which the determination of those who were graduating was expressed stressing that one of the greatest values ​​of life was to accept thier personal identity. « You have undergone wars that zere not yours, wars in which DRC resources were looted and your bodies turned into battlefields as if they were looking for minerals in your organs. Dear children, you have a mission to positively change your community, « concluded Ms DESCRYVER.

Certificates were granted to 90 girls survivors of sexual violence coming from various areas of the Provinces of South and North Kivu.

Denis MUKWEGE concluded the ceremony by expressing his appreciation of the work done at the „City of Joy“. He was pleased to see that there is a new young female elite that will revive and strengthen the society. He congratulated the coaches and encouraged them to continue this positive action with dedication. He was also pleased that the staff remained almost identical, a proof of good leadership at the „City of Joy“.

Speaking to the laureates, Prof. Denis Mukwege asked them to be models of social integration because the future of the nation depends on them. The day ended with the national anthem under a broad satisfaction.