By Amy Slater-Ovadia | Project Manager
Just a few short weeks ago, Women's Spirit opened their very first Employment Workshop at The Center for Prevention and Treatment of Domestic Violence Victims in Haifa. The women aged 26 to 58 years old; all have two things in common: they were victims of violence; they are all striving to take control of their lives financially and build a life for themselves and their children free of violence. The women come from all walks of Israeli life: immigrant (Germany, Ethiopia & Former Soviet Union); separated or divorced; mothers; religious and not.
"J" last week said, "It is UNBELIEVEABLE, already I feel a change within me, how I look at myself and my abilities and cannot believe that this time I know I am really not going back to him…" J has been in and out of a battered women's shelter a number of times, and went back each time because she didn't know what else to do. "The shelter gave me a safe haven to run too but Women's Spirit and our group is giving me the sustenance and tools to support me and my kids…"
Rebecca the new Women's Spirit Coordinator in Haifa said, "it's inconceivable the number of women that need our services, we just began and I have barely scratched the surface, the need is overwhelming, what happened to these women before Women's Spirit? Where did they go? Back to their abusive relationships?! Back to what - to fear and scared for their lives?! Each and every one of these women can now dream of possibilities and lead their lives determined to overcome and move forward…"
On July 5th Women's Spirit also opened our first full blown mentor/coacher professional volunteer training course in Haifa! Haifa municipality's director of Volunteer Services welcomed Women's Spirit with open arms and them to their 100's of Haifa volunteers. Thee professional volunteers are: lawyers; homemakers; retired school principals; head nurses; writers/bloggers; bankers and more.
Women's Spirit expansion to the north of Israel reflects the optimistic and long term benefits our programs have created to stop the cycle of violence of women by nurturing women with financial independence.
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