Tosha

First Encounter

I first met Tosha in October two years ago. It was when I went to see the activities of Terra Renaissance (http://www.terra-r.jp), a Japanese NGO supporting the self-reliance of former child soldiers in the Gulu region of northern Uganda. At that time, she was an intern at Terra Renaissance, responsible for interviewing former child soldiers about their daily lives and providing direct advice. She had a sharp mind, and her confident demeanor and bearing, unusual for African women, gave me the impression of an independent individual. She was always cheerful and would initiate conversations with us, weaving in the broken Japanese she had learned from her boss. She was a very charming woman, and at that moment, I couldn't imagine the cruel past she carried.

Tosha's life story, which I will now recount, is beyond imagination, despite happening in real-time on the same planet. To reiterate, she is 26 years old. This is not a tale from the distant past.

Ethnic Conflict

The Rwandan genocide in '94 is likely still fresh in your memory, but even before that, the conflict between the Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups had been a major issue in surrounding countries. In Tosha's homeland, Burundi, ethnic strife escalated, leading to widespread massacres.

At Age Seven

Tosha began to recount her life story, bit by bit. It began when she was seven years old.

When she returned from school, the area around her home was noisy with a large crowd. And the bodies of many people. A sense of dread washed over her. As she got closer to her house, the smell of burning filled the air. Massacre. And it mercilessly befell Tosha's parents and brother. Tosha's family was trapped inside their home and burned to death... That night, Tosha slept on the ground alone, near the charred remains of her house.
The next day, her maternal aunt came to take Tosha in. However, another tragedy awaited Tosha there. She was to witness another massacre.
One day, her aunt went to the fields and didn't return. Worried, Tosha went to look for her. There, she found her aunt's lifeless body. A massacre born of ethnic conflict.
Her own life was spared. But Tosha feared that her presence would cause others to be killed. She felt she was a harbinger of misfortune... And so, weeping, she fled into the bush. For the next six months, Tosha survived alone in the wilderness. She was too terrified to leave. A hellish scene witnessed by a seven-year-old girl. A reality so horrific it chills one to the bone just to imagine.

Refugee Camp

Six months later, at the age of eight, Tosha was taken by villagers to a refugee camp in Tanzania. The refugee camp was a terrible place. There were no blankets, no toilets. Life in a refugee camp is said to be harsh even for adults. For an eight-year-old child, it must have been anything but easy. During this time, emotional pain dominated Tosha's life.
Later, she was moved by the Tanzanian government to a refugee camp in Congo, but after only two weeks, she was transferred to Kenya. At the age of ten, Tosha lived and worked in an Indian household in Kenya for two years. She endured humiliating treatment, being called "dog!!" and enduring it all. Despite this, Tosha taught herself English. The wisdom a ten-year-old girl acquired to survive more advantageously on the African continent.

Becoming a Street Child

At twelve, she returned to a refugee camp in Uganda. However, the conditions were so dire that she escaped the camp and became a street child. She had nothing to eat. Worse, she couldn't even drink a single cup of water. Dressed in tattered clothes, Tosha stood before a large house. She rang the doorbell, and someone came out. Seeing Tosha, the person pointed at her, calling her dirty and summoning other family members. They all laughed at Tosha. Despite such humiliating treatment, she pleaded, "Please, just one cup of water. I'll do anything, just let me work." The homeowner brought a cup of water. But the water was thrown in Tosha's face, accompanied by the words, "Never come here again." At that moment, she recalled her family, massacred. Her father, who was poor but kind. He had told Tosha about a Christmas memory from when her family was still alive.

A Memorable Christmas

The last Christmas Tosha spent with her family. Tosha's family was not wealthy. But every Christmas, they could eat meat and buy new clothes. That year, however, there was no meat and no presents. All her friends were eating meat and wearing new clothes. Tosha, frustrated and crying, asked her father, "Why?" Her father then lifted her high, playing with her. He started beating a drum, and everyone sang and danced. Smiles returned to her family's faces. Her father said, "If I buy you new clothes today and you're happy, you'll forget tomorrow. Next year, you'll want new clothes again. But you'll never forget a time this joyful!"
Tosha said, as if recalling a distant memory, "He gave me such a joyful time... I will never forget it. What matters isn't material things..."

Independence

After that, Tosha finally found employment. She took her first step toward independence. She didn't waste time there either, teaching herself computers. She did whatever she could. To survive on her own.

Children

Several years passed, and Tosha moved to Kampala, the capital of Uganda. She was now twenty years old. There were many street children in Kampala. She saw her past self in those children.
Tosha decided to raise the children living on the streets. She is now the mother of two girls and two boys. All of them were children who had lived on the streets. She rented a house on the outskirts of Kampala, and a friend from Burundi helps care for the children. Tosha says, "If I collapse, the children will have to return to the streets. So I have to keep going."

Tosha surrounded by children

Work with Terra Renaissance

In 2005, Tosha applied for an internship with Terra Renaissance, a Japanese NGO working in Uganda to support the self-reliance of former child soldiers, and was accepted. She felt that her own experiences might be of some help.
In Gulu, northern Uganda, there are many children who were abducted by guerrillas as children and forced to become child soldiers. Although protected by the government army, they face discrimination in their villages for what they have done. As child soldiers, they were forced to carry guns, kill and injure people, and sometimes burn down their villages. Many people died. Both enemies and allies... If they didn't kill, they were killed. Children caught trying to escape had their noses cut off, their lips cut off... subjected to unimaginable cruelty... Girls were raped and forced to bear children. A dark abyss lurks within the hearts of these former child soldiers.
Now, Tosha has become an indispensable presence at Terra Renaissance, acting as a good confidante and elder sister to these former child soldiers. Using her own experiences as a springboard, she gives hope to children with wounded hearts.

Future

Tosha's face is now full of smiles. She is energetic and busy every day, surrounded by many people who need her and a place she can finally call her own. Though perhaps not by blood, Tosha has a new family.
In the future, Tosha wants to build a home where many street children can live. She thinks "Tosha's House" would be a fitting name.
Tosha, now a rising star at Terra Renaissance. If you have the chance, I urge you to go and hear her speak when she visits Japan. I want many people to know her life story. I believe she will give you great courage and strength.

Reflections

For this first installment of "African Woman," I introduced Tosha, a 26-year-old woman from Burundi. She has lived her life looking forward, with all her might. Developed countries are overflowing with material goods. Children have everything. Yet, they shut themselves off at the slightest difficulty. I myself was like that in the past. A spoiled brat. I couldn't admit my own weaknesses.
My experiences in Africa have taught me the fundamental meaning of life. I feel strongly that the situation of African women, in particular, must be improved urgently. However, like Tosha, there are many women who rise above difficult circumstances through their own efforts. I, too, will strive to live strongly, inspired by them. Thank you, Tosha.