For several years the NGO HAMAP-Humanitaire has supported its local partner SOS Fille Mere in helping young mothers who are victims of violence and discrimination. Thanks to international funders, the young women are now settled in a brand-new residential centre. Despite the deteriorating security situation following the two coups of 2022, the company in charge of the works, COGITA INTERNATIONAL, was able to complete the building without major difficulty. Fitted with a borehole and solar panels, the centre is entirely self-sufficient in water and electricity.
A real sign of hope in a country with a complex context, the project allows many young women and their children to live in a safe place where they can rebuild their lives and look to the future.
In line with the young women's wishes, courses in weaving, sewing, soap-making and nutrition will begin in early 2023 to help them back into work and restore their confidence in their own abilities. In time, the products made are to be sold in the solidarity shop built at the entrance to the centre, supporting the residents' financial independence. In parallel, the association SOS Fille Mere will help with the steps needed to get the children into school: more than one-off help, the association wants to offer long-term solutions to its residents.
The official opening of the centre, with local authorities and media present, will take place in February 2023, having had to be postponed because of the political situation. Beyond the celebration, the event will be an opportunity to shed light on the difficult situations faced by young women with children born outside marriage, and to raise awareness of possible answers to such discrimination.
The project is therefore a success, and the activities carried out at the centre will undoubtedly bring positive social, economic and cultural benefits over the long term.
To find out more about SOS Fille-Mere: https://hamap-humanitaire.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SOS-Fille-Mere-1.mp4
