A community needs assessment (CONA) carried out at the Internally Displaced Persons’, camp Daudu, Guma Local Government Area of Benue state, revealed among other things that teenage girls and women were exposed to sexual exploitation and other forms of gender based violence. The CONA also showed that most of the girls were out of school and without a means of livelihood to cater for their needs which further makes them vulnerable. Against this, team Angel Support Foundation has set up a girls’ safe space at the IDPs camp, aimed at the following:

1.        Providing a platform for young girls and women to share their experiences/challenges without judgement, discrimination and learn from each other.

2.       Strengthening unity and social integration among girls and young women in the camp and beyond.

3.       Bringing to light the challenge experienced by young girls and women at the camp so as to take stringent action, offering legal services where needed.

4.       Connecting survivors with professional counsellors and subsequently organize trauma healing sessions

5.       Offering psychosocial support to survivors of GBV

6.       Interacting with critical stakeholders around the host community as well as camp officials to ensure stringent actions against offenders and perpetrators of GBV.

7.       Receiving consent from the participants to document experiences shared and pushed for implementation of policies which will ensure they are safe

8.       Providing start-up funds to the girls who indicated interest in small scale businesses

9.       Connecting with business owners for apprenticeship

10.   A saving cooperative was established where they could save the proceeds from their businesses

Some of the regular activities that go on in the safe space include:

–          Sensitization and awareness on Sexual and Gender Based Violence

–          An interactive session during which personal experiences are shared with the view to advancing solutions.

–          Training on how to start and sustain small scale businesses

–          Financial Empowerment of women and young girls for business start-ups

–          Monitoring, evaluation and learning