Community based trauma and reconciliation work in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Trabajo con trauma comunitario y reconciliación en KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

The province of KwaZulu-Natal, is notorious for extremely high levels of violence. This violence occurs within the context of extreme poverty, unemployment and history of apartheid discrimination. This setting provides unique challenges for building peace-building reconciliation, healing and justice programs in the area.

The KwaZulu-Natal Programme for Survivors of Violence is a dynamic non-governmental organisation working in communities affected by violence. It has developed a unique approach of working with people's past experiences of violence, trauma and dealing with issues of healing, reconciliation and justice.

"The events that happened long time time ago change us, the wounds might not be fresh but the scars last a lifetime and never completely heal." "The pain is too deep and too personal to be discussed and yet too evident to be hidden." "You are always haunted by memories of things you want to forget." "I have realised that when I block the pain, I block all other feelings as well, so no one and nothing, can touch me or reach out to me." "Until the desire and inspiration to go forward becomes stronger than the memories of the past experiences, you will never hold the power to move on with your life and keep focused to achieve goals of healing and reconciliation."

Members of the Mbovu Community, which I am going to use as my case study, uttered the above statements. The rural community of Mbovu in Umbumbulu near Durban, will be presented as a case study. A brief analysis will be provided of the history of the conflict in the area and the current situation. This will be followed by an account of the recent interventions by the organisation, including a description of the entry process, trauma counselling, and reconciliation work that the organisation is currently involved in. Discussion of key difficulties in this type of work will be explained - such as revenge, living alongside former perpetrators of violence and cultural rituals performed to begin the process of reconciliation and healing.