Francine and Emmanuel find their way back to each other

Content note: This article mentions spousal abuse. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, you may call 911 to connect with your local police or 211 to find community, social and health services anywhere in Canada.

The International Day of Families is observed every year on May 15. It’s a day that recognizes the importance of families in all their diversity, spotlighting the need for equality, inclusion and work–family balance so families can thrive together.

For many families, however, the shared decision-making encouraged by the Day of Families is not a given. It’s a whole new way of relating to each other.

When home was not a home

For Francine, there was a time when her home was filled with fear. Decisions were not discussed, but imposed. Conversations with her husband, Emmanuel, were littered with insults and violence. The little money her family had was often spent by Emmanuel on alcohol. Surviving was Francine’s daily focus. “I saw no future,” she remembers. “I stayed because I had nowhere else to go.”

Then something changed. Not overnight, but step by step.

When World Vision’s Celebrating Families project reached her village in Burundi, Francine and Emmanuel were introduced to a different way of being together. Through couples’ training, they learned what respect looks like. They were encouraged to listen to each other, make plans together and take joint responsibility for their family’s future.

Celebrating Families is a faith-based program approach, part of a broader Positive Parenting framework, that walks alongside families as they work toward healthier, more loving relationships. Through guided conversations, shared activities and reflection, caregivers and children come together to heal from past challenges and build households shaped by care and shared accountability.

Francine and Emmanuel’s way to the top

Slowly, Emmanuel began to change. He stopped drinking. Violence gave way to dialogue. Decisions about money, work and their children became shared conversations between husband and wife. Fear slowly faded into trust.

Today, the air in their home feels lighter. The husband and wife farm together, run a small restaurant and raise livestock. Most importantly, they laugh together. “We plan together, we work together and our children are happy,” Francine says. “Our home feels full again.”

Shared decision-making at home

On the International Day of Families, Francine’s story is one example of how families can thrive when respect, inclusion and shared responsibility guide everyday life.

Are you looking for a simple way to start meaningful family conversations in your own home? Here is a simple activity that invites parents and children to talk, listen and make choices together.

Families grow stronger when everyone has a voice.

Check out the Our Family Choices activity sheet, download and print it to get started!