Learning Objective #1: Describe a community-based action research process

Learning Objective #2: Explain the contextual circumstances that some refugee women encounter as they live their lives in refugee camps

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A multi-stage, community based action research project was conducted in Gihembe Refugee Camp in Rwanda with refugee women from the Democratic Republic of Congo. In service to the American Refugee Committee, I first worked with a community of Congolese refugee women to determine their health concerns. Results from the preliminary focus group research revealed five major themes: health implications of living in poverty, overburden of daily work, struggle of living between two lives, ambivalence about family planning, and lack of freedom to express themselves. As follow-up, I utilized a descriptive qualitative design to collect narrative data about refugee women's daily lives and health implications. Within-case data analysis revealed themes, such as health implications of forced choices, fear of HIV infection, social pressure on adolescent girls to engage in sexual intercourse, violence from intimate partners, health effects of political corruption, grief and loneliness, heavy family responsibilities, resilience, and resourcefulness. Across case data analysis revealed four primary themes: leaving the good life behind, worrying about their daughters, feeling ambivalent about marriage, and lacking hope. Finally, in order to learn more about participants' responses to difficult circumstances, I examined women's stories using an interpretive approach to data analysis. Six responses were revealed: re-figuration, advocacy, resistance, resignation, sorrow, and faith. Developing deeper understandings of refugee women's perspectives about their daily lives and health concerns provided an opportunity for community learning about gender roles and relationships, cultural and social norms that impact women's experiences, and health issues for women and girls living in the camp. Community based health programs that educate and empower women and girls, address gender-based violence, decrease female poverty, and provide ways to heal from chronic sorrow are currently being planned.