In a compelling turn of events, a 14-year-old girl (identity withheld) who was sexually abused by a commercial motorbike rider in 2022 and subsequently abandoned by her relatives, gave birth to a baby girl on August 23, 2023, at the Bo Government Hospital in Bo District, Southern Sierra Leone.
The young survivor is a beneficiary of the Kindermissionwerk/KZE Girl’s Shelter Project, a vital initiative supported by the Commit and Act Foundation.
Thanks to the generous funding from Kindermissionwerk/KZE in Germany, the Commit and Act Sierra Leone Girl’s Shelter Project continues to provide a haven and a comprehensive array of support services. These include legal assistance, education, psychological counselling, prosocial activities, psychosocial support, and livelihood training for survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and their parents.
Additionally, the newborn baby girl has been enrolled in another commendable project known as the “ONE DAY HOPE BABY SHELTER,” which receives funding from ONE DAY e.V. in Germany.
This project is specifically designed to offer care and support to infants born as a result of sexual penetration, rape, and other forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. It aims to ensure that these babies and their mothers receive the necessary support, allowing the mothers to continue their education and rebuild their lives.
