During the 1994 genocide, Rwandan women were subjected to massive sexual violence, perpetrated by members of the infamous Hutu militia groups known as the Interahamwe. Among the survivors, those who are most isolated are the women who have borne children as a result of being raped. Their families have rejected both them and their children, compounding their already unimaginable emotional distress.
An estimated 20,000 children were conceived during the genocide in Rwanda, and many of their mothers contracted HIV during the same encounters that left them pregnant. They feel they have lost their dignity, are alone and utterly powerless.
Intended Consequences chronicles the lives of these women. Their narratives are embodied in portrait photographs, interviews and oral reflections.
Foundation Rwanda
No existing government or NGO programs have been created to support children born from rape and the specific needs of their mothers. Foundation Rwanda was established to improve the lives of these children by:
1) providing funding for their secondary school education,
2) linking their mothers to existing psychological and medical support services, and
3) raising awareness about the consequences of genocide and sexual violence through photography and new media.
Help bring healing to mothers and hope to children. To learn more please visit: www.foundationrwanda.org
Amnesty International
Violence against women and girls represents a global health, economic development, and human rights problem. At least one out of every three women worldwide are beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, with rates reaching 70% in some countries. The International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) is an unprecedented effort by the United States to address violence against women globally.
An estimated 20,000 children were born from rapes committed during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Intended Consequences chronicles the lives of these women. Their narratives are embodied in portrait photographs, interviews and oral reflections about the daily challenges they face today.
Note: Not all comments will be posted due to space and time constraints.
Consuela Sambour -- Ottawa,Ontario
Oct 3, 2009 at 10:35 PM
I call this simple. the words and the images showed a lot of things that many new before,however coming from this point of view the message is understood. I was touched by the stories of all those women. War is evil but they showed that their kids had a significant impact of their life. Their past was ruined but a brighter future is to come. God Bless
Alex Ondari -- Indianapolis, Indiana USA
Aug 14, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Thank you for sharing the story of these precious women and for loving Africa to spend your energies and resources there. Godbless
Flavio Ferraz -- Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
Jul 30, 2009 at 1:28 AM
This is simply beatiful. Congratulations for this touching work that, certainly, have amazed many people. This documentary, in a different way, has achived it's goal of making people understand part of the pain felt by these rwandan womans. I already lived in Rwanda working with HIV positive people and, sincerely, i'm deeply touched with this. Again, congratulations and God may bless you.
Daisy Rose -- London, UK
Jun 3, 2009 at 2:30 PM
absolutely heartbreaking. amazing
C.E.Lenore -- Randolph, NJ, USA
Apr 23, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Wow. I am honestly shocked, more shocked than i think i've been in a very long time. This website was originally reccommended to me for a project in my AP history high school class. I'm shocked at such violence, but i'm very very happy that this photographer has given a voice to these women and a light into what's been going on where they live. And to the women: I applaud every single one of them for getting the courage to talk about their hardships, especially when they've been violated and treated so brutally in the most insensitive way that one can do to a woman. But they have such strong souls and such beauty because of the way they have let themselves be captured and because of how they have survived and progressed with their lives and their children.
Ashley -- La Mirada, CA, USA
Apr 7, 2009 at 3:08 PM
This documentary was beautifully pieced together. I wonder what it would be like though to be the one taking these pictures and seeing these scenes in an even more realistic sense. We are fortunate to have reporters like Jonathon who will bring some of his reality to us, along with tangible ways we can help, contribute and respond to what we have witnessed. What these women need is love. One even said she hates herself when she thinks about what happened to her. How can we convince these women they are WORTH so very much, and that they are cared about? That is the next step, I believe. Conquer that, and it will strengthen their soul to live.
JEANNINE KALONJI -- LONDON- ENGLAND
Mar 23, 2009 at 2:45 PM
i have watched your good work and i am so pleased about it and i pray that your job brings you too joy just as you did for those woman in Africa. Keep it up Jonathan.T because what you have just done is what I jeannine call good and a good hearted person because not evevryone are able to do what you have done. And again ii am so pleased about what you have done. My my self i come from Congo and when i heard you saying that you do not want this to hapen to those woman in Congo as well as other countries sourounding Rwanda, that just shows clear how good you are. i am so pleased and impressed, may God bless you for what you for what you have done and may keep on using people like you to brighten other people's life if they can.
Murni M -- Singapore
Mar 18, 2009 at 2:19 PM
Thank you for giving these women a voice and letting us into their souls. These survivors are also messengers, that have extended and rendered their pain to remind us all that life is urgent. I hope all of us will ACT and contribute in our own time and ways after watching this, instead of going back to our day to day pretending that this never happen. Congratulations to the production team and prayers for the survivors.
Danielle -- Hong Kong
Mar 13, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Jonathan - amongst the sadness and pain you have managed to caputre such beauty and strength within these women.
A fan -- New York, NY
Mar 12, 2009 at 6:23 PM
How would we feel about this project artistically if these were just ordinary travel portraits? I doubt it would be winning awards. The lines between art and photojournalism are getting more blurred.
Juanjo Chicharro -- valencia-spain
Feb 22, 2009 at 4:06 PM
The justice in the world has to be different . And this one must be applied in a different way. At the moment the justice does not exist.
galustov -- moscow
Feb 18, 2009 at 2:05 PM
thank you so much for this peace, it has touched me so deeply
Jacqueline -- Scottsdale, AZ
Feb 16, 2009 at 7:05 PM
I cannot speak for these incredibly powerful women, but as Rwandan woman myself, I would like tp extend my deepest and most profound gratitude to the people who put this revealing, although painful reality out here, so that most in the world who did not know about it will remember just how strong the human spirit to live is.
Terry Pang -- Toronto, Canada
Feb 9, 2009 at 11:26 PM
After looking at all this sad and miserable facts, all i can say is I am very impressed to the womens by their strengths and their attitudes . I wish that they can all continue to LIVE STRONG! And to the people that watched this film, I wish that you can take action and promote against violence towards women!
Arnold -- Toronto, ON, Canada
Feb 9, 2009 at 6:46 PM
After viewing this website, it truly opened my eyes about the horrific issues around the world. It is important that everyone learns about these issues so that these atrocious events do not repeat itself.
josh -- thornhill,Ontario, canada
Feb 8, 2009 at 7:41 PM
This is an amazing piece of work, and it is astonishing that something like this could be done, even after such gruesome happenings like the holocaust. We have to start lending a hand out to countries in need, instead of turning our backs. It's time to make a difference
Nina Weinberg Doran -- Mount Kisco, NY, USA
Feb 5, 2009 at 12:20 AM
My heart is pounding.. bleeding for all that so many had to endure.. these beautiful strong women who have survived.. and the innocent children born out of a travesty ..to no fault of their own. let this horrendous moment in history never be forgotten.. and never let the world sit by and be silent in the midst of such a devastation again. beautifully done.. rivetting.. makes me want to go to rwanda.. and embrace these wonderful women and children and help in any way i can.. even just opening my heart
Susie -- Minneapolis, MN, USA
Dec 30, 2008 at 8:51 PM
I can only attribute these atrocities to the work of Evil. Satan. Lucifer. Whatever you want to call it. These people have no heart. No soul. What a magnificent work this was. Well thought out and put together to deliver a message. Justice will be served...
Becky Green -- Denver, Colorado, USA
Dec 27, 2008 at 12:30 PM
I only wish I could have the strength and spirit of these amazing women and children. A beautiful look at the endurance of the human spirit to overcome evil.
Tenzin Dorjee -- Toronto, ON, Canada
Dec 8, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Sometimes I really wonder any human being is capable of doing such an act. And then work like yours remind me there are and we are all responsible. We all must speak and fight for those who are helpless. I am sincerely thankful for this story, it touches my soul. Jonathan, your work is powerful.
tanaka -- tokyo
Dec 6, 2008 at 1:01 PM
so sad to see things like these happened in the world and the were no urgent rescue that have been done, my prayers and thoughts will be with them and those who still suffer the consequences of the war
Naomi Kayne -- Columbus Ohio USA
Nov 30, 2008 at 10:51 AM
We read so much about these situations, but it is only with personal stories and visuals such as those we see in this amazing film, that we can really understand the hate and suffering in this world - and be called to action. Thank you.
Asaf lerman -- Israel
Nov 21, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Horrifying and inconceivable pain delivered with a masterly composure. It is only thorough the tenderness of your heart that this terrible reality becomes somehow accessible to me. This is a story that can not be forgotten and a work to be remembered. Thank you
Adelia -- Brasilia. DF, Brasil
Nov 14, 2008 at 1:14 PM
Those stories are outrageous! The whole world should fight against violence towards women, because these are crimes against humanity itself, not only against women.
Lennart Maschmeyer -- Singapore
Nov 11, 2008 at 3:10 AM
Great work. I feel like through your pictures I am looking directly into the soul of these people and the hell they went through. It made me cry. I hope many will see this.
Michael -- Princeton, NJ, USA
Nov 2, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Another stunning work. Job well done.
Roberto -- Roma, Italy
Nov 2, 2008 at 9:02 AM
My compliments for this amazing and heartbreaking story.
Alessandro Vincenzi -- Madrid, Spain
Oct 30, 2008 at 7:46 PM
I think you have done one of the most powerful and beautiful things i have ever seen. My best compliments!!!
Caroline Sumner -- Richmond, VA, USA
Oct 29, 2008 at 3:48 PM
This is so beautifully done, so terribly heartbreaking, and so important. I wish everyone would watch this and be moved to act. My compliments and prayers to all those involved.
Photography & Interviews: Jonathan Torgovnik
Producer: Chad A. Stevens
Executive Producer: Brian Storm
On-Location Video: Jules Shell
Studio Video: Bob Sacha & Chad A. Stevens
Original Music: Pamela Chen & Sherman Jia
Graphics: Tim Klimowicz
Translation: Geoffrey Ngiruwonsanga
Narration: Rosette Adera, Yvette Rugasaguhunga & Hope Kantete
This project was made possible with support from Canon Europe.
Jules Shell, Lesley Martin, SURF - Survivors Fund, Aidan Sullivan, Cheryl Newman, Amy Yenkin, Yukiko Yamagata, Michael Famighetti, Melissa Harris, Diana Adkins, Melissa Robinson, Karen Robinson, Whitney Johnson, Peter Piot, Elisabeth Biondi, David Friend, Angelika Hala, Sue lapsien, Andreas Trampe, Marie Consolee, Audrey Jonkheer, Tanya Chuang, Jungwon Kim, Geoffrey Cowley, Amy Pereira, Simon Barnett, Sue Miklas, Jamie Wellford, Michelle Molloy, Paul Moakley, Beth Johnson, San Disk, Canon Europe, Kodak Professional, Newsweek Magazine, Getty Images, AVEGA, Grazia Neri
