City of Joy
A goal of the STOP RAPING OUR GREATEST RESOURCE: Power To The Women And Girls Of The DRC campaign is to provide necessary resources and support for women to rebuild and transform their lives. A centerpiece of the campaign is to support community reintegration for survivors of rape, specifically those who face extreme challenges in returning home due to community rejection and trauma. V-Day and UNICEF in partnership with Panzi Foundation are currently building a special facility for the survivors of sexual violence.
Conceived, created and developed by the women on the ground, the City of Joy in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo will support women survivors of sexual violence to heal and provide them with opportunities to develop their leadership through innovative programming. Through its groundbreaking model, the City of Joy will provide up to 180 women a year with an opportunity to benefit from: group therapy; storytelling; dance; theater; self-defense; comprehensive sexuality education (covering HIV/AIDS, family planning); ecology and horticulture; and economic empowerment.
The City of Joy will provide women a place to heal emotionally as they rebuild their lives, turn their pain to power, and return back into their communities to lead.
Construction began in August 2009, in Bukavu, DRC, on the City of Joy which will open in 2010.