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| 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.
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| Kiziba amputee at start of Mirror Therapy demonstration |
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| Amputees watch the Mirror Therapy demonstration |
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| 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.
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| Gentille M., 24, lost right arm as a child in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
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| Jean Leo B., 39, lost left leg in car accident |
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| Agnes M., 36, lost left leg as a teen in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
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| Alexandre N., 40, lost right arm in accident |
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| Donatha N., 31, lost right arm as a child in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
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| Emmanuel S., 48, lost left arm in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
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| Evariste G., 44, lost left leg in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
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| Andre M., 44, lost right leg in car accident |
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| Tite M., 33, lost left hand as a teen in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
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| Gerome N., 58, lost right leg in Rwandan genocide 1998 |
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| Herman N., 55, lost right leg in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
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| Jack H., 35, lost right leg as a teen in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
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Jean Bosco R., 45, lost left leg in 1994 Rwandan genocide
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| Jean Bosco H., 39, lost right leg due to disease |
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| Felician M., 43, lost left hand due to a car accident |
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| Pierre M., 26, lost right hand as a child in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
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| Jean Bosco U., 56, lost left leg in 1994 Rwandan genocide |
