"Safe Haven: Empowering Survivors.

Summary

Through our Safe Haven project, Voices of the Defenceless continues to provide a supportive and empowering environment for survivors of sexual abuse, trafficking, and domestic violence. Despite facing financial limitations, our team has remained steadfast in its mission to restore dignity, hope, and purpose to those who have suffered.

Progress and Activities

During this reporting period, we focused on small but impactful efforts that created safe spaces for survivors to express themselves and heal.

• Support and Counseling: We offered one-on-one and group sessions—mainly peer-led—to help survivors share their stories, find emotional relief, and begin rebuilding their self-worth.

• Storytelling and Healing: Writing workshops encouraged participants to use creative expression—poems, short stories, and reflective pieces—as tools for recovery and empowerment.

• Community Education: Our outreach included community talks that addressed gender-based violence and the importance of standing up for survivors’ rights.

• Partnership Building: We have reached out to local leaders, women’s groups, and churches to collaborate in extending the project’s reach.

Challenges

The main challenge continues to be limited funding. Our team operates mostly through volunteer support and personal contributions. This has restricted our ability to hold larger group sessions and provide materials such as notebooks, writing supplies, and refreshments for participants.

Impact

Even with limited resources, the Safe Haven project has touched lives. Survivors report feeling renewed confidence and emotional strength. Many have begun to write openly about their experiences and even support others in their healing journeys. Our advocacy has also helped shift community attitudes toward greater empathy and understanding.

Next Steps

Looking ahead, we plan to:

• Expand our storytelling workshops to include more survivors and youth.

• Publish a booklet of survivor-written poems and testimonies.

• Strengthen our partnerships to secure more stable funding.

• Continue advocating for victims’ rights and building safe, inclusive spaces for healing.

Thank You

We are sincerely grateful to GlobalGiving and everyone who has supported our mission. Each donation and word of encouragement keeps this vision alive. Together, we are helping survivors reclaim their voices and build brighter, safer futures.

With gratitude and hope,
Annette Nawls
Founder, Voices of the Defenceless