Mary Barikungeri was just six years old when persecution against the Tutsi erupted in Rwanda in 1959. Her family, like thousands of others, fled the violence—first to Uganda, then across other borders. Decades later, after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Barikungeri returned to a liberated Rwanda to help rebuild shattered lives, particularly those of women. She would go on to found the Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN), one of the country’s most impactful grassroots organisations supporting female survivors of genocide. From exile to education Barikungeri’s family was forced to leave Rwanda at the onset of the anti-Tutsi violence. Her father, an Anglican pastor in Nyanza District, helped evacuate fellow refugees across borders into Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda. “We eventually had to leave too,” she said. While exile was filled with hardship, it also brought opportunity. Barikungeri completed her primary and secondary education in Uganda, pursued advanced studies in Kenya, and continued her education in France. Later, she worked in Geneva, Switzerland, first with the World Health Organisation and then with the World Council of Churches. A personal loss and a call to return Married for 15 years, Barikungeri became a widow in 1993—just before the Genocide. “My husband was deeply involved in Rwanda’s liberation. Sadly, he died before seeing a free Rwanda,” she said. “He taught me a lot about the country from the perspective of our elders, and his passion influenced my own engagement with the Rwandan Patriotic Movement.” She was still in exile when the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi unfolded. “Hearing the stories of unspeakable violence, especially against women, I felt compelled to act and provide the kind of support I was lucky to have received,” she said. Founding Rwanda Women’s Network While working at the World Council of Churches, she joined efforts to examine the role of churches during the Genocide, which opened the path for her return. In 1995, she came back to Rwanda as the Country Director for Church World Service, an American faith-based NGO providing emergency relief. When the organisation’s programme ended in 1997, Barikungeri stayed behind and transitioned the initiative into a homegrown movement. Rwanda Women’s Network was born. “Back then, many women were displaced, traumatised, raped, or living with HIV. Others were raising children born of rape. We had to ask ourselves: how do we help these women live again?” Polyclinic of Hope: A safe space is born RWN’s first initiative was the Polyclinic of Hope, launched in Nyamirambo to provide holistic support to women. It offered counseling, legal aid, economic empowerment, and a space for healing. “The idea was simple: create a place where women could feel safe, heard, and valued. From there, we expanded to the Village of Hope in Kagugu, where we built homes, opened a girls’ health centre, and ran a school fees campaign for vulnerable children,” she said. Today, RWN operates 24 women’s safe spaces across 12 districts. Its five key pillars include women’s leadership, mental wellness, income generation, and the journey of healing and empowerment. Over 3,800 gender-based violence cases are handled annually. More than 29,000 patients receive health care at the organisation’s facilities each year. At least 480 women receive support for income-generating activities every year. From survivors to leaders Barikungeri says one of her proudest achievements is seeing survivors become leaders. “Many women we supported went on to serve as judges in the Gacaca courts or testified in Arusha at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda—especially in the Akayesu case on sexual violence.” “To see a woman go from silence and pain to a place of leadership and confidence is powerful. That’s why storytelling matters. It helps people reclaim their past and shape their future.” Women supported by RWN are now running small businesses, building homes, supporting families, and holding leadership positions—including within the network itself. Gratitude for liberation Barikungeri credits the Rwandan Patriotic Front for creating an environment that empowered her return. “Had it not been for the movement of the Rwandan people, especially the RPF, I may never have returned. Their efforts engaged the diaspora and gave us a reason to come home.” The future of safe spaces Looking ahead, Barikungeri plans to align RWN more closely with Rwanda’s Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2). “We are working to institutionalise safe spaces at the district level, making them sustainable even without our direct involvement. Local authorities must understand that these spaces are part of our national social infrastructure.” Message for Liberation day As Rwanda marks the 31st Liberation Day, Barikungeri reflects with gratitude. “We have come so far. My message to the youth is this: protect the gains we’ve made. Stay committed to the national vision—to stay together, be accountable, and think big. That motto has guided my life, and I hope it inspires the next generation too.”
