Dorothy Goes to Rwanda

In Rwanda, Dorothy completes certificate program in complex trauma and meets with potential partners, trainers, and those engaged in community-based trauma healing.

From the beginning, The Market Project’s desire has been to engage in the healing process with individuals who have gone through any type of complex trauma. Whether it is human trafficking, child soldiers, or genocide, our aim is to help repair broken lives and develop economically sustainable livelihoods. Being able to hold down a job is difficult for anyone who has gone through trauma. To that end, it is important that those working for The Market Project, from our leadership team down to employees of our enterprises, be trauma informed.

Dorothy took part in a certificate program that teaches participants how to properly engage with those who have undergone complex trauma. The Global Trauma Recovery Institute holds immersion classes where participants can take part in the learning and healing process in real-world circumstances. Those from the Global Trauma Recovery Institute “provide high quality continuing educational resources, skills training, and case consultation for mental health clinician, ministry leaders, and professionals interested in addressing the needs of psychosocial trauma victims in the United States and around the world”. The team engaged those who are still feeling the effects of the genocide that took place only a few decades ago.

While at the time of writing we are not currently looking into starting a TMP enterprise in Rwanda, Dorothy’s time in Rwanda was vital to learning further about how to understand various types of trauma. Furthermore, this trip had long-lasting impacts on future collaboration. Dorothy was able to meet with representatives from International Justice Mission (IJM) that are working in Rwanda. Two of the professors from the Global Trauma Recovery Institute immersion class have also developed a curriculum entitled “Healing Wounds of Trauma” that we will integrate into our work in Uganda. Healing of the traumatized is truly global work. The Market Project values the opportunity to take part in the healing process in places around the world. We look forward to the day when we are perhaps able to engage the work-as-healing process in Rwanda.