Christine Schuler Deschryver

Vice President
Panzi Foundation

Christine Schuler Deschryver is the Vice President of Panzi Foundation, and Director of V-Day Congo, and the Co-Founder and Director of City of Joy.  City of Joy is a revolutionary community for women survivors of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where pain is turned to leadership and power. Christine has always been an activist for justice, and has fought for human rights since her childhood where she was active in anti-racism movements. In 2000, after witnessing the rape and murder of her best friend, and after an infant victim of sexual violence died in her arms, she decided to devote her life to alerting the world to the femicide and mass rape of women and children in the DRC. She was named one of The Guardian’s Women of the Year for 2011 and her work is featured in the Netflix documentary City of Joy.

“my sisters, you will change the suffering you’ve endured into power.” – “Mama Christine” addressing city of joy graduates