Association des Veuves du Genocide (AVEGA Agahozo) or the Association of Widows of Genocide is a Rwandan association formed to help

widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word can ...

orphan An orphan (from the el, ορφανός, orphanós) is a child whose parents have died. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents due to death is called an orphan. When referring to animals, only the mother's condition is usuall ...

s and others who lost family members in the 1994

Rwandan genocide The Rwandan genocide occurred between 7 April and 15 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. During this period of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu ...

. AVEGA was founded in October 1995 by 50 women who had survived the killings but lost their husbands. One of the organization's founders has stated that she believes that "too much is expected of the victims" who, in her view, need first to be reconciled with themselves and their losses. Restitution and reparations are essential prerequisites before any consideration of reconciliation with the perpetrators. The organisation aims to do the following: * To protect and promote the widows of the genocide, who have been severely tested by the atrocities they have suffered * To undertake activities aiming to improve the living conditions of the widows and their children * To promote solidarity between the members of the association * To promote the

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. ...

of the orphans of the genocide * To defend the rights of the widows, be they

social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives from ...

economic An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with t ...

political Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studi ...

or of any other kind * To perpetuate the memory of the victims of the genocide and to fight for justice to be done * To take an active part in the process of national reconciliation and the rebuilding of the country * To collaborate with national and international associations that share the same objectives.

National Presidents

* Valerie Mukabayire (term 2014) * Chantal Kabasinga (terms 2008, 2012) * Bellancille Umukobwa (term 2006) *Chantal Kayitesi (term 1996)

References

External links

AVEGA English website
Peace organisations based in Rwanda 1995 establishments in Rwanda Organizations established in 1995 Widowhood {{rwanda-stub