Mutima Africa
WHY WAS THE MUTIMA PSYCHOSOCIAL CENTER BORN?
COOPERA CONGO and Lorena Aguirre Cadarso, have worked with child soldiers, minor victims of sexual violence, women victims of domestic and gender violence, and men devastated for not having been able to save their families during attacks by armed men, for having been kidnapped, for lost their limbs due to machete or bullet wounds ...
The aftermath of war leaves deep and silent suffering, but there is a beauty that emerges from the darkness, people, warm and smiling Congolese people. People who dance to the sound of their voice, and shout peace with hope and pride.
All trauma survivors but especially a woman inspired MUTIMA AFRICA. This woman is MAMA Zawadi, which story was told in the doc short, "MAMA", directed by Pablo de la Chica. She taught us that if you have the right support, your life can shine again. That if you find safety and love, you will recover.
This is why we construct a center where trauma survivors can find safety, professional support, and LOVE.
MUTIMA AFRICA is a temple for life that gives support to overcome trauma and construct resilience. At Mutima, people learn about trauma and self-application tools to reach their full potential as human beings, at all levels, mental, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual.
WHERE IS MUTIMA AFRICA?
The MUTIMA Psychosocial Center has constructed its first building as an annex to Lwiro Pediatric Center, at 37 km from Bukavu, South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, which belongs to the MITI Murhesa health zone. Lwiro Hospital belongs to the "NATURAL SCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER" (CRSN) and is managed by the Nutrition Department since 1960.
Mission
To create a more equitable, conscious, and peaceful society, through collaboration with Congolese communities, civil society, and governmental organizations, integrating mental health services in primary care and in the areas with the highest rate of violence, being accessible to all:
children, youth, adults, and the elderly.
Vision
To train mental health professionals in modern psychotherapy and psychiatric treatments, giving a quality support to trauma survivors
while researching on mental health topics and informing the community on mental disorders to avoid stigma and discrimination.
Project
Thanks to the COOPERA EUSKADI and the support of the Basque Government, which believed in the vision and mission of the COOPERA CONGO team, led by Lorena Aguirre Cadarso, it was possible to build the first MUTIMA Psychosocial Center in the South Kivu Province. The Mutima Psychosocial Center is a service of the Pediatric Hospital of Lwiro, managed by the prestigious Center for Research in Natural Sciences (CRSN / Lwiro).
