HEAL Africa

Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Patient Returning Home After Nine Year Hospitalization

May 9, 2012

After 9 years at HEAL Africa, and twelve surgeries, Nyirana Mataiya is healthy and going home. She came to HEAL Africa with a complicated fistula, a tear in the vaginal or rectal wall resulting in incontinence. Nyirana’s fistula was the result of rape. In 2000, when she was 8 months pregnant, militias in the Masisi Mountains where she is from, captured her, held her hostage and five armed men sexually assaulted her. In addition to being left with a [...]

HEAL Africa’s Palliative Care Program

May 2, 2012

Roger Basungeli is a very experienced community health worker. He has seen so much misery and pain during his seven years as the head of the Palliative Care program at HEAL Africa. Roger’s job involves caring for the dying and the chronically ill. He brings what little comfort he can to those who are suffering or near the end of their life. He is the father of five children, calm, considerate and quietly goes about his difficult work without [...]

Today Only, May 2nd, Matching Funds Opportunity

May 2, 2012

Today is “Give Big”, an annual event put on by the Seattle Foundation. For any donation you make to HEAL Africa today through there site at this link, they will stretch your funds further by adding their own. For more information, visit the “GIVE BIG” page.

The Economist Remembers Lyn Lusi

March 29, 2012

This week’s issue of The Economist features a moving obituary remembering the life of HEAL Africa co-founder Lyn Lusi. Click here to read the full text, below is an excerpt:

“Like Jo (Lusi), she was meant to heal. “Isn’t that a beautiful word?” she would say. The letters stood for Health, Education, Action, Love. Healing meant not just of the body but of the whole person: mind, spirit and potential, bringing it [...]

Tribute to Lyn Lusi on the Floor of the US Senate

March 21, 2012

On Tuesday, March 20th, Senator Dick Durbin paid tribute to Lyn Lusi on the floor of the US Senate. Below is an excerpt from that speech. To watch the full speech given in the US Senate, click here.

“We just got word this morning that Lyn passed away from cancer. I wished to come to the floor and remember her and the great work she has done, which I am sure will be carried on by Jo her [...]

HEAL Africa Mourns the Loss of Co-founder Lyn Lusi

March 18, 2012

Lyn Lusi was the heart of HEAL Africa. Everybody called her “Mama.” She was like a mother to the 400 employees of HEAL Africa and to the thousands and thousands of women, children and men for whom HEAL Africa was and is providing care for. Lyn passed away in Goma, DR Congo, on the evening of March 17th. One patient in HEAL Africa’s ward reflects the impact of losing her while confirming the legacy of compassion and generosity she [...]

HEAL Africa Featured on the PBS Newshour

March 8, 2012

On March 7, the eve of the International Day of Women, HEAL Africa was featured on the PBS Newshour. The award winning program is known for their 35 years of solid, reliable reporting that has made the PBS NewsHour one of the most trusted news programs in television. The HEAL Africa piece was an overview of the work of HEAL Africa and the organization’s response to the devastating violence caused in the ongoing conflict in the east of the Democratic [...]

UN Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Hervé Ladsous Visits HEAL Africa

February 28, 2012

Hervé Ladsous, the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping, visited HEAL Africa on January 27, 2012, as part of his official visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

During this visit, the French diplomat gained a better idea of the work carried out by HEAL Africa and their partners to support sexual violence survivors in Eastern Congo. Since 2003, HEAL Africa has offered medical support to sexual violence survivors in the North Kivu province. Rape remains a major issue [...]