Finding Hope After Loss

How the Bethesda Counseling Center helped one Ebola survivor rebuild his life.

When Muhndo Mutokambali returned home after surviving Ebola in 2019, the hardest part of his journey was only beginning.

After spending six weeks in the hospital, Muhndo and his two children were discharged, but the virus had already taken a devastating toll on their family. His wife had died from Ebola, and the family faced rejection from their community, relatives, and friends. Fear and stigma left them isolated at a time when they needed support most.

“We were alone,” Muhndo recalls. “The total isolation was unbearable.”

It was during this difficult period that Muhndo learned about the Bethesda Counseling Center (BCC). Through a support group for Ebola survivors, he was introduced to the center and its mission of helping people facing trauma, stress, and crisis.

For Muhndo, BCC became a source of hope.

The center’s trained counselors provided care tailored to his experience, offering both emotional and spiritual support as he navigated grief, loss, and the challenges of rebuilding life after Ebola. BCC’s holistic approach recognizes that healing often requires more than counseling alone. When stress is connected to economic hardship, the center also helps beneficiaries develop sustainable livelihoods through small, interest-free start-up loans for income-generating activities.

“BCC offers help when it seems unattainable,” Muhndo says.

Today, he remains grateful for the care he received and encourages others facing difficult circumstances to seek support. He also expresses appreciation for the partners who make the center’s work possible.

As a new Ebola strain spreads through Eastern DRC today, the Bethesda Counseling Center is ready to help again. Through its commitment to serving vulnerable individuals and families, the Bethesda Counseling Center continues to provide care to people facing some of life’s most difficult challenges when they need it most.