Trauma is one of the dominant ways of demonstrating an individual's relationship with his/her past. It concerns individuals, groups, communities and nations; particularly when considering the experience that was subjected to collective violence. Studies have demonstrated that an individual's health, well-being and conduct are influenced by their history and cultural identity. This study aims to investigate the impact of traumatic experiences on the personal health and conduct of Rwandans

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... ized by their experiences during the 1994 genocide and its aftermath, living in Finland and Belgium. A questionnaire was filled in by 341 Rwandans over 20 years of age (166 males, 175 females), with the purpose of investigating their life experiences and mental health interventions in the two host countries. The results show that Rwandans in Belgium were more satisfied than those living in Finland with the therapeutic interventions, cultural identities, and social support. Rwandans in Finland, on the other hand, relied more on psychopharmaca and the use of alcohol as a coping mechanism than those living in Belgium.