She experienced first- hand the horror we in the UK have only read about in the papers. Annette Toko knows that looting is the norm; killings are not unusual and rape and sexual violence are weapons used indiscriminately, every day, by all sides in the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Originally hailing from Congo, Annette and husband Remy now live in Cottingham.

Annette1 Remy and Annette Toko of Grange Drive, Cottingham, who are originally from Congo and are working to support the mission hospital where Remy previously worked in north-east Congo, and women who are victims of rape in the country. Remy, a paediatrician at HRI, is a trustee of a foundation that is supporting work of medics out there, Annette is aiming to make clothing from African fabrics that can be sold and funds from proceeds sent back to the women, pictured is Annette making clothing. Picture: Peter Harbour”I want to raise awareness for victims of rape day-to-day in the Congo,” Annette said.

“I want to help them but also get people to talk about it.

The UN estimates that a staggering 200,000 women and girls have been the victims of rape or sexual violence in Congo during the past 15 years, with the worst of the violence happening in the east of the country.

It is said that 48 women are raped every hour there.

Annette said: “It’s not something I can close my eyes and ears to.

“The suffering is terrible, and there is nothing the people can do about it.

“The rape victims are women, teenagers, old ladies.

“I watched a documentary about it and it was too much for me to bear. I was crying and saying, ‘What can I do?’ I didn’t know what to do to help.”

But then Annette was inspired to employ a skill she knows best – sewing – to lend a hand to the female victims.

Using traditional African fabrics, Annette set about creating a collection of brightly printed clothing and invited models from the local African community to take part in an international fashion show.

The event, at Hull City Hall, was the third to be staged by Humber All Nations Alliance (HANA) and was packed with colourful activities showcased by different community groups from all corners of the world and now living in Hull.

It was a first step for Annette and her “Renette” fashion design venture.

She said: “I made dresses, playsuits and skirts, and asked young African people if they would model them.

“The fashion show gave them an opportunity to express themselves and was a great confidence boost for them.”

Annette hopes that as her striking clothing becomes more well known and sales take off, she will be able to engage some of the young Africans as well as others to work with her – and send some of the profits back to Congo to the hospitals that are treating the injured women.

“A married woman who is raped by a rebel or a gang of several rebels (which is a much more common occurrence) is normally rejected by her husband and family,” said Annette.

“Many of the women need rehabilitative surgery as they have all sorts of terrible things done to them. Their attackers try to destroy their female body parts; sometimes they are shot there.”

Annette said: “My idea is to expand and perhaps for me to create a big fashion show myself, raising funds to send to help the women of Congo.

“It’s only a beginning now but it’s a small, bright area of hope against a background of deep sadness and desperation.”

Her husband, Remy, a paediatrician working at Hull Royal Infirmary is a trustee of the UK charity, the Friends of CME (Centre Medical Evangelique), which aims to relieve sickness and poverty in the north-eastern region of Congo.

Annette and Remy were living there – Remy was working in the CME mission hospital, run by seven churches, in Nyankunde – when events took a terrifying turn for them back in 2002.

Within half an hour, 1,000 people were murdered, including patients, hospital staff and villagers.

Rebel soldiers broke into the house and pointed guns at the family.

Lootings by the local militia meant that any form of contact with the outside world had gone, but Remy knew there was still a radio inside the hospital and took the brave step of secretly slipping in to the communication office and opening the radio to summon help. After hours of bargaining with the rebels, a missionary plane was allowed to land with the purpose of evacuating the endangered expatriates working there.

The arrival of another plane meant a chance for Remy, Annette, their son Samuel and daughters Benitta and Prisca, to flee the area.

But Remy stayed to lead the remaining staff.

After days being held hostage at Nyankunde, the remaining patients and staff, including Remy, fled on foot.

About 750 people, three- quarters of them women and children, walked for two weeks through the rainforest with nothing but the clothes that they were wearing.

It was more than three weeks before the Toko family were reunited, in Nairobi, Kenya.

They started a new life in Cottingham in 2005 after Remy successfully applied for his job in Hull.

Nyankunde became a ghost town and the medical centre was looted and largely destroyed.

But work is ongoing to try to rebuild the hospital.