Mirror Therapy Workshop for Amputees at Bisesero Village Rwanda

Bisesero Village Amputees  Participating in Mirror Therapy Workshop

June 20, 2015 found 40 Rwandan refugees who returned to Rwanda from the Congo attending an outdoor Mirror Therapy workshop led by ETPP Rwanda representative, Jean Luc Ngarambe at  Bisesero Village, a refugee camp. 

 Enthusiasm to learn the effective Mirror Therapy procedures was very high among the 20 amputees and their 20 family members. Many questions were posed and were able to be answered by the ETPP representative, who is a certified physiotherapist.

A Teaching Moment with the Amputees of Bisesero

Amputees said that they appreciated this practice to reduce pain because though they feel phantom  limb pain, when they explain their pain to clinical health providers, none understand phantom limb pain. Often they return home without any treatment. 

They also realized the importance of teamwork in helping the amputee practice Mirror Therapy to reduce the phantom limb pain.  

This Mirror Therapy workshop for amputees is the second successfully conducted by Ngarambe at Rawandan refugee camps. 

 

Rwandan Amputees Volunteer for Peer-To-Peer Mirror Therapy Programs in Refugee Camps

Rwandan Kiziba Refugee Camp Amputees and Family Supporters

In a first for Rwanda, 17 refugee amputees volunteered to become active in a Peer-to-Peer Mirror Therapy Group for End The Pain Project. They were part of a group of 50 amputees and family members who attended a recent Mirror Therapy for Phantom Pain Workshop held at the Kiziba Refugee Camp.

The idea of the peer-to-program was introduced by ETPP Representative for Africa, Jean Luc Ngarambe, who sees it as an effective limited budget model that can be extended to the greater African continent.

On a scale of 1-10, with '1' indicating no pain and '10' indicating excruciating pain, most of the volunteers had endured pain levels that hovered around '8'. Those who had limbs chopped off during the Rwandan genocide have endured intense levels of recurring phantom pain for over twenty years. Practicing with mirrors for thirty days, their pain levels will now be lowered to the point where they can function more effectively, below the 5-level, or no longer experiencing phantom limb pain.

Kiziba amputee at start of Mirror Therapy demonstration

Amputees watch the Mirror Therapy demonstration

Family members take notes on how to support amputees

These are the courageous and generous KizibaVolunteers who will become Certified ETPP Trainers, leading other amputees in Rwanda's refugee camp away from suffering phantom limb pain.

Gentille M., 24, lost right arm as a child in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Jean Leo B., 39, lost left leg in car accident

Agnes M., 36, lost left leg as a teen in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Alexandre N., 40, lost right arm in accident

Donatha N., 31, lost right arm as a child in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Emmanuel S., 48, lost left arm in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Evariste G., 44, lost left leg in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Andre M., 44, lost right leg in car accident

Tite M., 33, lost left hand as a teen in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Gerome N., 58, lost right leg in Rwandan genocide 1998

Herman N., 55, lost right leg in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Jack H., 35,  lost right leg as a teen in 1994 Rwandan genocide

 Jean Bosco R., 45, lost left leg in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Jean Bosco H., 39, lost right leg due to disease

Felician M., 43,  lost left hand due to a car accident

Pierre M., 26,  lost right hand as a child in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Jean Bosco U., 56, lost left leg in 1994 Rwandan genocide

Video of Mirror Therapy Workshop August 20, 2014, Gihembe Refugee Camp, Rwanda

This video of the Mirror Therapy Workshop held on August 20, 2014 at Gihembe Refugee Camp, Rwanda is conducted in Rwandan.

However, enthusiasm for the procedure is captured on the faces of the participants.

Attendees at ETPP Mirror Therapy Workshop at Gihembe Refugee Camp, Rwanda

On August 20, 2014, a Mirror Therapy Workshop led by ETPP Representative, Jean Luc Ngarambe (far left) was held at the Gihembe Refugee Camp in Rwanda.

The Workshop was attended by fifteen amputees and ten family members who will act as coaches for their kin in home-based therapy procedures.

Amputee and Family Member Coach

The participants, Rwandan refugees from the Congo, were each given a mirror and guided through a Mirror Therapy session by Jean Luc Ngarambe.

Upper Limb Amputee Involved in Mirror Therapy

The amputees expressed gratitude for this focus on relief of existing Phantom Limb Pain and planned to follow the thirty-day schedule faithfully. Their outcome will be posted in October.

Lower Limb Amputee Involved in Mirror Therapy