Healing Centre For Child Sex Crime Victims In Ghana

In Ghana, sexual assault survivors discharged from the hospital end-up taking refuge on the premise of the department of social welfare in some municipalities.The country does not have a rape crisis centre not to talk of a foster-care system where child victims can be placed temporarily until investigations are completed. Many of the street boys and girls who are sexually violated do not seek medical attention because they do not have the funds to do so. These factors along with others are leading to victim neglect in our community.

With your assistance, I would like to change how child sex crime victims are handled in Ghana. The Nsromma Child Advocacy Centre, an initiative of Impact Direct Mission, will serve clients referred by the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service after the child is removed from the care of the legal guardian including children who run away from home due to abuse and need a safe place to stay.

We want to provide protective measures, security arrangements, counselling and other appropriate assistance to child victims who appear before the Court and who are also at risk on account of testimony given. We want to create a child-friendly neutral environment where the police and social workers can come and interview children regarding allegation of sexual abuse or trauma.

Our target is to achieve the first $10,000 by ending of October 2019, which will allow us to kick-start the project and invest in the essentials:

• Obtaining a license from the Department of Social Welfare
• Renting a facility for the Centre
• Renovating and furnishing of the Centre

To give you an idea of where the money will go:

• $20 will feed a child for a week
• $30 supplies a child with a sleeping cloth and toiletries kit during stay
• $100 will keep electricity and water running at the Centre
• $227 gives a survivor a bed in the centre
• $600 provides a qualified healthcare worker for a month
• $700 will contribute towards the furnishing of the centre
• $1000 will contribute towards the renting of the facility

LONG-TERM IMPACT

This project is less of protecting human dignity and more of social development. An investment into The Nsromma Child Advocacy Centre is an investment into people. It is true that the Centre will provide them with post-trauma treatment. It will improve Ghana’s sexual assault reporting infrastructure by introducing a stronger referral system. But the most importantly, they will be role models who will help other survivors move forward on the path of healing and rehabilitation. A mentally healthy, better-equipped survivor will become an advocate in his or her own community.

So help me protect the well being of child victims by supporting this project because together we can do so much! Any donation to help us reach our target is appreciated, no matter how big or small - it will make a difference to someone who desperately needs psychological intervention.

Like the Late Kofi Annan once said, “Suffering anywhere, concerns people everywhere".

Thank you.