In a general sense, Rwanda has healed from effects of the 1994 Tutsi genocide. However, Uwamwezi Marie Claire has never healed. Every second of her life is real pain resulting from her brutal beating that left her traumatised with two damaged lungs.
Uwamwezi born 1969 to Gasana Nepomserie and Uwantege Adele from the district of Nyanza had lived a life of royalty. She was brutally beaten all over her body during the genocide.
She told IGIHE.com that she wants financial support to pay for her medical operation abroad. Operation of her damaged lungs cannot be done in Rwanda; she fears she will die from the damage to her lungs.
Uwamwezi was a young girl when she was living the life of a fairy tale, living with the royal family of the Kings wife, a time when life was full of opportunities and promises. Sadly her dreams of the future would be tragically shattered forever.
During the 1994 genocide Uwamwezi was assaulted by the interahamwe militia who savagely chopped off her hips with a machete and beat her with clubs over every inch of her body leaving her on the ground for the dogs.
However, she didn’t die but since then, her life has been a nightmare. Uwamwezi has thronged nearly all private clinics and hospitals all over Rwanda only to be told that her condition cannot be handled locally.
Since the aftermath of the genocide, FARG was created (Funds for assistance for genocide victims.) which are the reason why Marie Claire has gotten any treatment at all, they gave her a house which she plans to rent out in order to help save money for her operation, and have paid over millions of Rwandese francs since the beginning of her hospitalization and have taken care of all her medical needs except for the money that Marie would need to pay for her operation.
FARG and King Faisal hospital are only allowed funding patients whom are receiving treatment in Rwanda which leaves Marie Claire lying in hospitals since December 2008 seeking contributions and sponsors that may help her get an operation before its too late.
Uwamwezi told IGIHE.com that she needs Euros 5400 for the operation. Both her two lungs are damaged and has a lump on her back that has been a permanent pain, she has breathing difficulties and so seclusion is forced upon her for she cannot risk wasting the little oxygen she needs.
Uwamwezi pulled out the letter and transfer requests from three different doctors in Rwanda and the hospital of centre ‘Hospitaliter Univerversitaire Brugmann’ of Belgium since 2008, she had acquired signatures from all those she sought audience with, signatures from CNLG, MINECOFIN, FARG, MINALOC, PRIMATURE, and PRESIDENCE.
However, to date she still lies in King Faisal medical ward. Uwamwezi’s plan is to “seek donations because I think this may be my last chance”, “if no one in the government has responded to my plea to let me know if they can assist me, then am left with no choice, for I have no family, no parents, no husband, no children, I am an orphan, but that does not mean I do not want to continue living.”
She told us that she has opened up bank accounts where people can donate some money by sending it to both accounts in Rwanda and Belgium where the operation is to take place.
IGIHE.com will keep you posted Uwamwezi Marie Claire’s story, as we follow her on her struggle to complete her journey to Belgium for a medical operation.
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