A missionary sister is helping people affected by terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado, providing psychological support to help them cope with their trauma.

Cabo Delgado is the northernmost province of Mozambique. It has historically been poor and neglected. An insurgency began in the Mocímboa da Praia district in October 2017 and has since spread to 16 of the province’s 17 districts. To date, the conflict has caused over 6,200 deaths and displaced more than 1.1 million people — around half of the Cabo Delgado province’s population.

The region has also recently been affected by Cyclone Chido, which caused widespread devastation across the country and made the situation of displaced people in Cabo Delgado even worse.
Sister Aparecida Queiroz from the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus arrived in the Diocese of Pemba, Cabo Delgado, seven years ago, when the Islamist insurgency was already terrorising the province.

When talking about the situation of the people, she said: “Imagine you are in your house after a day’s work when a group of armed men suddenly break in, kill your children, and kidnap your family members, forcing you to flee through the bush for days. You are scared, hungry, thirsty, and in terrible anguish. Well, that is the pain experienced by thousands of our brothers and sisters in Cabo Delgado: people who have lost everything  –  their homes, family members, places of worship and their identity  – and who have had to flee many times.” 

She continued: ‘The constant movement of people trying to survive is at the root of this cycle of poverty. Children can’t go to school, families can’t farm, and terrible hunger is rife. People have no access to healthcare.”

Originally from Brazil, Sister Aparecida and her fellow religious sisters have been helping hundreds of displaced people overcome trauma sustained through violence.
Sister Aparecida pointed out: ‘We’re talking about people who have lost everything — not just material goods, but their very identities. Many of these people have lost family members in the most brutal of ways.” She said that material loss is often the least of their concerns, as the deep psychological trauma they experience can be crippling and lead them to lose any positive outlook on life.

“In our group sessions, people regain their self-confidence by speaking and doing manual work. When people are displaced, they lose their sense of direction, but this work helps them celebrate their lives again and express themselves as they used to in their villages. They experience a joy that they had not felt since the attack. Our work, whether carried out individually or in groups, helps people to recover.”

During group sessions, Sister Aparecida said she could see trust beginning to reappear in patients’ eyes. “The group provides support and helps to rebuild trust because the attacks breed distrust. Here, people learn to trust their communities again and celebrate this together.”

People are receiving visits and being listened to. They also have access to the sacraments and the Eucharist, as well as material aid such as food and hygiene products. “This type of assistance is transformative. It helps people grow and empowers them,” concluded the religious sister.”