Tomatoes from the Chief

The discussion round with youth is the first step for establishing a new project on the topic of gender-based violence. Its goal is to raise the awareness of the topic and thereby to decrease the incidents of domestic and gender-based violence. In a second step, similar discussions with the parents will take place. Also, a hotline has been set up where victims can get advice and support.

All this takes place in a new area, Rumuruti, where St. Martin was not active so far. The name Rumuruti is an adaptation of "Remote Route", the former colonial name for the area. Obviously, it is important to involve the local chief. A chief is a government-employed administrator, roughly equal to a European mayor. He is very happy that we stop to greet him and that the discussions went well. As his tomato field is on our way home and it is currently being harvested, he offers us to stop and collect some to carry home.