Survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi who graduated from different institutions of higher learning are organising a seminar on trauma with the goal of seeking a deeper understanding of trauma and how best to address it.
The seminar will be held under the auspices of GAERG, an association of Genocide survivors who graduated from different varsities after the Genocide.
Trauma remains one of the main challenges that Rwandans, most especially survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, face after the Genocide in which over a million people were killed.
According to the GAERG coordinator, Olivier ‘Camarade’ Mazimpaka, the seminar, due June 2, will attract trauma experts from the US.
It will be held under the theme, "Get free, stay free of trauma”.
"The idea is not to stop people from crying; it is alright to cry, but rather to step out of the shadow of fear and be in position to commemorate your loved ones today the next morning you go to work strong and determined to go forth and compete on the labour market,” he said.
Mazimpaka said they will discuss physical, genetic and spiritual aspects of trauma, adding that they will also explore intergenerational trauma.
"Trauma can be transmitted to children, especially those who grow up with parents who have trauma, this terrifies them without even being aware of the whole history of what happened, but they get affected by their parents’ behaviors,” said Mazimpaka.
"Most of the survivors do not know how to talk to their children about what exactly happened during the Genocide, when a child sees something related to that history on TV, they tend to ask for details but some parents react by immediately switching the TV off or changing the channel to avoid their questions,” he said.
"Trauma can also cause addiction; someone can be addicted to some habits – including substance abuse – as a way of concealing trauma, we will explore that too,” Mazimpaka noted.
Remembrance is critical but it must not define us, we must rebuild ourselves, he added.
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