![Dr. Kiesha Gordon Giving her Presentation.]()
Dr. Kiesha Gordon Giving her Presentation.
Feminine Star Africa's Build a Safe Haven Project seeks to establish a women-led Domestic Violence Shelter and Empowerment Centre in Ghana's Volta Region, providing women and children experiencing domestic and partner abuse with a safe place to escape violence, receive support and begin rebuilding their lives. The proposed centre will provide temporary accommodation, counselling, legal support, skills development and reintegration support.
Our work is built on the understanding that awareness alone is not enough. Survivors also need somewhere safe to go and practical support to rebuild their lives.
Progress So Far
We have made several important steps towards turning this vision into reality.
With support from our donors, Feminine Star Africa has:
Completed and paid for the architectural design and official building plans for the proposed shelter.
Developed a clearer understanding of the construction requirements and costs for the first phase.
Provided ongoing support to survivors and their children, including educational and basic needs support.
Supported a survivor, Olivia, with seed funding to establish a small home-based trading business, enabling her to generate income while caring for her children.
Our current priority is to secure the necessary approvals, prepare the site and mobilise the resources required to begin the first phase of construction.
Women First Symposium
An important part of advancing the Safe Haven vision has been our work to bring the conversation around domestic violence into the public space.
In July 2026, Feminine Star Africa partnered with Professor Kiesha Warren-Gordon of Ball State University, USA, and other local and international partners to organise our inaugural Women First Symposium and Domestic Violence and Partner Abuse Forum in Ho.
The symposium brought together representatives from DOVVSU, the Department of Gender, the Attorney-General's Department, community stakeholders, educators and international partners to discuss domestic violence prevention, survivor protection, legal remedies and women's empowerment. The Volta Regional Minister, Hon. James Gunu, also received the delegation ahead of the forum and expressed the Regional Coordinating Council's support for initiatives promoting women's empowerment, child protection and safer communities.
The symposium also included a screening of Nowhere to Run, featuring the experiences of survivors of domestic violence, helping participants connect the statistics and discussions with the real human impact of abuse.
Empowering Young People Through Sport
As part of the symposium, international coach Michael Stewart led a soccer clinic for girls at OLA Senior High School, using football to develop teamwork, communication, decision-making and leadership skills.
Feminine Star Africa also donated footballs, jerseys, boots, training bibs and water bottles to selected schools in the Ho Municipality. Beneficiary schools included OLA SHS, Ho Bankoe RC Girls, Ho United, Mawuli SHS and Mawuko Girls, among others.
This reflects our broader belief that preventing violence and building safer communities must also include empowering young people before they become victims or perpetrators of harmful behaviours.
Our Vision for the Safe Haven
The proposed centre will be more than a building. We envision a safe and supportive environment where women and children can access:
Safe temporary accommodation
Trauma-informed counselling and emotional support
Legal and referral support
Skills training and economic empowerment
Reintegration and independence support
Community education and domestic violence prevention programmes
The long-term goal is to help survivors move from danger and dependency towards safety, dignity, confidence and independence.
The Road Ahead
While significant groundwork has been completed, construction has not yet begun. Our next major milestone is to raise sufficient funding to commence the foundation and first phase of the shelter.
The project currently has a US$150,000 fundraising goal, and continued support is needed to move from architectural plans into a physical place of safety.
Every donation, partnership and share helps us move one step closer to creating a safe haven where a woman fleeing violence can finally hear three words: You are safe here.
Our Gratitude
We are deeply grateful to our donors, partners, volunteers and advocates who continue to believe in this vision. From supporting individual survivors to developing the shelter plans and creating platforms such as the Women First Symposium, each step is helping us build the foundation for a safer future.
We are not simply building a shelter. We are building a pathway from violence to safety, from survival to independence, and from fear to hope.
![DOVSUrepresentative giving her presentation]()
DOVSUrepresentative giving her presentation
![Presentation from the Mayor of Ho]()
Presentation from the Mayor of Ho
![Soccer clinic with OLAGirls Senior High School]()
Soccer clinic with OLAGirls Senior High School
![A courtesy visit to the Regional Minister office]()
A courtesy visit to the Regional Minister office
![Presentation by Director of the Department Gender]()
Presentation by Director of the Department Gender
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