The toll violence and discrimination take on individuals and communities perpetuates a cycle of fear and distrust that can tear communities apart. At HESED Africa, we believe everyone deserves to feel safe and valued. That’s why – we stand with individuals, families and communities, empowering them and advocating for their rights.
How we fight for a more just and equitable Kenya:
- GBV & Human Rights Advocacy: We conduct outreaches within communities, schools, and healthcare facilities to educate people about their rights and the available support systems as well as empowering them to speak out against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
- Survivor Centered Approach: Recognizing the need for holistic care, we offer referrals and linkages to clients and external partners. This ensures survivors receive essential services such as legal aid, psychosocial support, or medical care that might fall outside our scope.
- Building Healthy Relationships: In our in school and out-of-school sessions (youth friendly center), we create a safe space where young people learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships, sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), and how to identify and respond to GBV.
- Community Engagement: Through partnerships with community-based gender defenders, we actively engage in outreach initiatives to raise awareness about gender-based violence (GBV) and its detrimental effects. We do this through educational campaigns, community dialogues, and support services to empower survivors and promote prevention strategies.
- Linkages: Social workers play a crucial role in connecting clients to essential services, including healthcare, education, and employment opportunities.
- Community Sensitization: Through collaborative efforts with local health providers, we conduct community dialogues on topics such as healthy relationships, sexual reproductive health, gender-based violence, nutrition, mental health, and legal rights. These discussions empower individuals to make informed choices and improve their overall well-being.
- Climate Action: We lead awareness campaigns to educate communities about the environmental challenges and encourage sustainable practices. By partnering with government agencies and schools, we support the development of community-driven initiatives, fruit tree planting programs in schools, to build resilience and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
- Capacity Building: We conduct trainings for local leaders such as chiefs, village elders and community health providers through workshops and barazas on GBV response, prevention and protection measures, sexual reproductive health rights and human rights.
Join us in creating a safer and more equitable future. By raising awareness, empowering communities, and building capacity, we can establish a strong network of support for survivors of gender-based violence. Together, let’s work towards a world where everyone feels safe and respected.