The HEAL Africa hospital in Goma Democratic Republic of Congo is not just a hospital - H is for Health care but the E is for Education of both health care workers and the patients - so women who have had surgery to repair the damage done by rape are given the opportunity to learn to read and write or to learn to sew so that they can earn a living as in the Healing Arts program pictured here

But some women despite numreous operations cannot be healed - and they have no home to return to either because of continuing insecurity in their villages, loss of family or in some cases because they are rejected by their community - so the hospital has built a substute village for them about 12 kms out of Goma called Grounds for Hope. It has high walls of lava rock and a guard at the gate so they feel safe. They each have a small home of their own and there is space to grow their staple beans, vegetables and fruit and to keep rabbits and a few goats - and they have a water tank.

Another program, the choose Life Program is a support program for families affected by HIV/AIDS - helping children from these families go to school and providing micro-loans -children at Grounds for Hope Village.