Vihiga
In May 2022, our CEO Geoff Coleman and a team including trustees and staff visited Mildmay Kenya. One of the new projects they looked at with the Mildmay Kenya team was the Sexual & Gender-Based Violence Rescue and Empowerment Centre in Vihiga County.
Watch the video
In this short film, Mildmay's CEO Geoff Coleman tells us about this new centre.
Challenges facing the project:
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No access road to the site making delivery of materials very costly
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No title deed – county government not willing to surrender current one to change ownership to NGAAF
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Lack of security since NGAAF cannot employ workers. This has led to the destruction of property on-site.
Interventions sought
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Written to county government, governor and area MP requesting an access road
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Written to / visited Lands Department for the title deed and still waiting hopefully
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Contacted the Director and Chief Officer of the Gender Department (who visited the site) and requested we partner so that they employ staff to run the centre, However, nothing has happened to date.
Timelines for any action
Immediate since the centre is expected to be in operation to cater for the many GBV (gender-based violence) cases within and outside the county.
Impact of the project
The many GBV survivors will have a safe home to stay in as court cases go on so that the perpetrators do not get a chance to threaten or interfere with the victims.
Empowerment
The Centre will be used as a skills training facility for young people and GBV survivors in tailoring, hairdressing, beauty therapy, computer software training, upholstery, welding, farming, catering, basketry, fish-farming, beekeeping and so on.
Challenges / the way forward
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Personnel: get willing partners to employ staff to run the Centre every day since NGAAF does not allocate funds to employ staff
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Professional Personnel: Liaise with the county government of Vihiga and other stakeholders to employ doctors and counsellors to cater for the GBV survivors.
Help is needed from charitable partners such as Mildmay to equip the Centre with the necessary furniture and equipment to make it functional. For example, beds, bedding, computers, sewing machines, salon equipment, welding equipment, utensils… basically, everything is needed.
In addition, the administration would like to further develop the site by erecting more buildings like an administration block, workshops etc.