Over the weekend, the executive board of the association came together for its first meeting. Under Grand Duchess Maria Teresa's leadership, the board discussed its first project. Over two days, the board discussed how to progress the association's work, notably with on-the-ground change.
As the Grand Duchess explained, the association is currently planning to promote and subsidise various initiatives. One such project the association hopes to subsidise is Hughes Dewavrin's plan to build a cinema at Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She explained that Dr Denis Mukwege, the Nobel laureate who founded the hospital, had requested the project and the association then helped make connections and find the funds to implement it.
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa appointed her own role to find to build the networks required for the association's work, but the Grand Duchess quickly noticed that she lacked some contacts with the ability to transform a good deed into a large-scale project. The March forum, which saw rape survivors attend to recount their harrowing experiences, was instrumental in building the roots of these networks.
The Grand Duchess explained that the forum brought together women, who then decided to work together on projects. Women from the Ukraine and Kosovo are collaborating for the first time, campaigning for a just cause: "It is moving to see women who experienced so much horror work together and create hope."
When it comes to working on the ground, Dr Mukwege is the expert guiding the association. The Congolese doctor has been treating sexual assault victims for other two decades. On average, Panzi Hospital treats 200 women a day.
Access to a cinema might seem like an unnecessary past time, but the Grand Duchess stressed the importance of supporting this venture. As she highlighted, these women have had their social networks completely destroyed and it's important for them to have a place or a past time which allows them to feel comfortable enough to talk and socialise again. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa is confident that the right programme in a cinema will give the association the opportunity to create a positive social environment for these women.
Finally, the association is also bearing in mind the creation of safe support networks for children. The issue with such prolific sexual violence is the consequent high pregnancy rate, which leads to children who are not accepted in society, but require support all the same.
