ABUSE OF WOMEN HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

ABUSE OF WOMEN HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

• 29 November, 2021
• 2 comments

According to the UN Women, one in three girls in Eswatini will experience some form of sexual violence or abuse before they reach the age of eighteen. The sad result of all this is that 35% of women in Eswatini are living with HIV not to mention the trauma and pain that come with abuse.

At Teen Challenge Women’s Centre Elusitweni, we have created a place of refuge for ladies who have been physically abused, sexually abused, sexually trafficked, or are addicted to life-controlling substances or habits. We have the privilege of helping these wonderful women deal with deep hurts and pain from abuse as well as shake off life-controlling habits formed in a bid to comfort themselves from the source of abuse.   

Our centre is specially designed to provide discipleship and restoration of healthy self-esteem by reaffirming identity. Hope is rebuilt for a truly prosperous future for the young ladies who come into the one-year program.

We teach them life skills such as growing vegetables, rearing chickens, making various kinds of soap, and dressmaking. But we do not limit the girls to what we offer here; we try and identify each student’s passion and see how best we can help them achieve their dreams. Equipping them with these skills prevents them from returning to abusive or detrimental relationships due to economic bondage. We believe that when we equip them with business skills, they can then become free from the cruel grip of economic dependency.

The COVID era has seen a sharp rise in pregnancies among primary school aged girls and the abuse of women and girls overall – with girls in particular being the victims in recorded abuse and rape cases over the past 18 months. This has seen increased pressure on our facility and resources as more girls and women seek help.

We are urgently looking to expand our centre in order to help these women and girls in need. Here is what you can do to help:

-   Praying with us for the healing and restoration of women and girls who have suffered violence and abuse

-   Support us to expand the women empowerment program that equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to help  create economic opportunity and empowerment.

-   Your support could be in the form of financial support, skills training, Gift in Kind donations that support the women empowerment projects, and referring abuse cases.

-   Buying the products made through women empowerment programs to help them grow their business and be financially independent.

-   Some women don’t feel safe to go back to the same place where the rape occurred and others just don’t have a family to take care of them. Help us to expand our program to provide a temporary shelter for the women before they are settling in a new place.

-   Sponsor the young women who want to go back to school but have no means to pay the school fees.

-   Educate yourself on violence against women; learn the facts and the prevalence, and speak out against all forms of violence

-   For further information, visit www.cmswazi.org

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