The Power of Togetherness: Community-based Groupwork with Refugees and Survivors of Human Rights Abuses (Webinar 1)

This is the first of a series of webinars facilitated by the editors and authors of the book: Groupwork with Refugees and Survivors of Human Rights Abuses: The Power of Togetherness. Authors and survivors/groupwork practitioners working in a variety of settings globally will share their groupwork approaches in an interactive facilitated session, with an opportunity for participation for those attending.

This first webinar brings together contributors who have worked with groups of people affected by adversity in various settings, including Peru, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and emergency contexts. The discussion will focus on the community-based and survivor-led approaches which characterises the groups the contributors work with, and the power of shared experience and connection.

Following a conversation between these contributors, facilitated by one of the co-editors of the book, Rebecca Horn, there will be opportunities for questions, reflections and an open discussion of the issues raised.

Meet the speakers 

Eugenia Mpande is an experienced transcultural mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS) professional and counsellor. Since 2002, Eugenia has devoted much of her professional life to extensive work with individuals, families, community groups and members from civil society organisations who have lived both traumatic and traumagenic experiences.

 

 

Emmanuel Sarabwe has an MA in Human Rights, Gender and Conflict and in Social Work and Social Administration. He is a staff member of community-based sociotherapy (CBS) programmes in Rwanda since 2005. From 2022, he has been head of programmes of CBS Rwanda. His research interests include marital conflict, psychosocial support, forgiveness, and peacebuilding in post-genocide Rwanda.

 

 

 

Annemiek Richters, MD, is a medical anthropologist and emeritus professor in culture, health and illness at Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands. From 2004, she has contributed to the development of community-based sociotherapy in Rwanda through capacity building and research. She is a board member of the Institute for Community Based Sociotherapy (ICBS).

 

 

 

 

Theophile Sewimfura is a healing, peacebuilding and reconciliation activist, and founder of Africa Restoring Bridges Initiative (ARBI). Since 2008, he has contributed to the development and adaptation of community-based sociotherapy in the Great Lakes of Africa, and is supporting the implementation of sociotherapy within displacement settings.

 

 

 

Miryam Rivera Holguín holds a PhD from the University of Leuven (Belgium). She is a professor at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru since 2009. She has developed her practice and research in the fields of human rights and community mental health in vulnerable contexts, focusing on public policies and vulnerable populations.

 

 

Lynn Walker is the director of  Tree of  Life Trust Zimbabwe. She has a BEd. (hons) from Durham University and a MSc from University of Surrey in the UK. She taught in the UK for 13 years before moving to Zimbabwe in 1991. Lynn worked in Zimbabwean teacher education before joining the non-governmental sector in 1997, working for both local and international agencies.

 

 

 

 

Micah Williams has served as International Medical Corps’ senior GBV advisor and technical lead since 2010, supporting the design and delivery of GBV prevention and response programmes in humanitarian contexts across more than 25 countries. She has a Master’s degree in International Relations, focused on gender and human rights.

 

 

 

 

 

Meet the moderator 

Rebecca Horn is an independent psychosocial specialist. Her focus is primarily on community-based approaches to mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in humanitarian settings, particularly with populations affected by conflict and displacement.