Chandelle, a young woman from the Bugendana camp for displaced people, grew up surrounded by the enduring scars of ethnic conflict.
Born in 1999, her life was shaped by the aftermath of the violent upheaval that followed the killing of a democratically elected president and the mass atrocities that ensued.
Living in a mono-ethnic camp comprised of survivors from her own community, Chandelle was raised with a single narrative - one steeped in pain, loss, and mistrust.
Those from other ethnic groups, especially villagers who did not flee, were collectively viewed as perpetrators, inhuman, and to be feared. This deeply entrenched worldview left no space for healing or reconciliation.
That began to change when Chandelle participated in a Trustbuilding workshop. In a safe and reflective space, she encountered other narratives for the first time. She learned about the shared pain across communities and the possibility of healing through dialogue, empathy, and forgiveness.
“After attending this workshop,” Chandelle shared,
“I understood how important forgiveness is and how important it is to open our hearts and cultivate inner peace… Now I feel transformed and know we are not the only ones who suffered from the past violence.”
Chandelle’s story is one of profound transformation - from inherited trauma and fear of the “other” to the beginnings of healing and hope. It reflects the impact of the TBP Burundi’s trustbuilding efforts that help individuals and communities shift from division toward connection, and from blame toward shared humanity.