Jane Berocan, DRC "My husband does not want me anymore because I am ugly"

Jane Becoran, in her 40s, became handicapped in 2002 following a an attack by Lendu militiamen on her village. She recounted her ordeal to IRIN on 21 April 2005 in Bunia, the main town in the northeastern district of Ituri:

"I lived in Iga village until 2002 when the Lendus attacked our village. They killed many people, including my eight-year-old daughter, who was burnt to death.

"They were armed with machetes, arrows, spears and rifles. They cut my face, my back, my hands and my thighs, using a machete. Wounded, and with my 14-month-old baby on my back, we were evacuated to Bunia. I was unconscious when I arrived in hospital.

"Today, I am very unhappy. I live alone. Three of my children are in Mahagi [about 180 km northeast of Bunia]; two others are with their father. The only child I managed to save and was staying with died of malnutrition.

"Things have gotten worse for me; my husband does not want me anymore because I am ugly. I did everything to join him. He lives in a house with one bedroom and a small living room. When I went to try to be with him, he left me with all my stuff in the living room and retired to bed with a pretty girl.

"Therefore, I am obliged to live alone, one would say. To survive, I buy pieces of sugar cane at 200 Congolese francs [20 US cents] and resell to 300 francs [30 US cents], sometimes 400 francs [40 US cents]. Sometimes, I sell cooked yams in front of my home.

"I eat boiled vegetables because they are less expensive, and when I don't have anything, I go hungry. I don't even have what it takes to beneficiate from humanitarian aid. Sometimes I walk for three days in efforts to get to where the aid is distributed, but I end up not getting the aid. However, other villagers are able to get the supply, they have the energy maybe.

"Before I became handicapped as a result of the attack, I used to get by. I would sell 'arack' [local alcoholic brew] and I would also sell my tomatoes in the market in Katoto [20 km from Bunia]. My husband was a mason. We were comfortable.

"However, today I have no beddings, no clothes and no food. If only one could lend me 3,000 francs [$6] I would resume my tomato business at the market."