Debbie Kilby

A FORMER JEP journalist and photographer are teaming up to document how survivors of the genocide campaign in Rwanda have been helped by charity donations.

Jersey-born Debbie Kilby (née Wainwright, 39) and her brother Richard Wainwright (36) set off for Rwanda tomorrow to spend five days with the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development.

Debbie, who was a former JEP journalist and has been the Cafod regional media officer in London for the last five years, said: ‘The reason behind the trip is to show people the kind of work that their money has been spent on and the people they are helping.

‘Cafod is one of very few charities that remain working in the country. Many left after a couple of years after the genocide. Our work is based around trauma counselling and overcoming the effects of the genocide – which took place 16 years ago in April – and supporting people as they move on with their lives.’

Debbie, a former Hautlieu pupil, said that thousand of orphans and widows had been left after the genocide and that Cafod brought them together in an association. They were given trauma counselling initially but now many of them have become independent and have set up their own businesses.

In one particular case Cafod helped a woman to train as a lawyer and she successfully sent her son’s murderer to jail.

In Jersey funds are being raised from Friday 26 February and throughout Lent. Former JEP photographer Richard, who is now living with his wife in Australia and working as a freelance photographer in Perth, will be working with his sister during the trip.