1 in every 3 girls under the age of 18 in Zimbabwe suffers from sexual abuse. In some cases, girls can be left pregnant and homeless. With your help we can support these girls with a safe living environment, counselling and emotional support, and through the provision of education so that they can go on to support themselves in adulthood.
In Zimbabwe, 1 in every 3 girls under 18 will be a victim of sexual abuse, often at the hands of family members and relatives. When a country experiences severe political and economic problems the 'fabric' of society can also break, often with the stronger members of society preying upon the weaker ones; in this case, women and children. This has been the case in Zimbabwe, where prolonged political and economic crises have resulted in a marked increase in violence against women and girls.
The Sandra Jones Centre provides shelter for survivors of sexual abuse, as well as emotional, practical, and psychosocial support. The aim is for all children to be re-homed in a safe family environment; we conduct extensive research to find a suitable and safe home, manage the transition, and follow-up on re-homed girls to ensure their welfare. We will provide school fees and uniforms for all of the girls at SJC so they can develop the skills they need they need to prosper in adult life.
Through its on-site "Fruitful Harvesting Project", SJC is currently 60% sustainable, with the goal of reaching 100% in the coming years. As well as providing sustainability, this also gives girls practical agricultural skills which will benefit them throughout their lives. In addition, by seeking to re-home girls within their own families, SJC is helping to repair damaged communities, and avoids the long term dangers associated with child institutionalisation.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
