Combating Violence Against Women through Knowledge and Awareness Creation, Economic Empowerment, and Skills Acquisition
This project seeks to build the young girls', the survivors', the community's, and the
authorities' capacity to prevent and to combat violence against women.
Inwelle Catch-Them-Young Virtual Village Square project will focus on educating these girls
and giving them skills to enable them earn livable wages in order to alleviate the suffering
they face in seeking to get education. They will be trained in various aspects of
Information Technology, including MS office package, Internet surfing, Adobe CS Suite, Web
Design, Computer Repair, hosting interactive websites, blogging, etc.
The project's innovation comes from using the internet to connect young girls, aged 15 – 17,
and older women survivors of domestic violence. In Enugu, Nigeria peri-urban and rural
areas, it is commonplace for young, vulnerable girls to marry as a meansto get out of
poverty. It is equally common for such marriages to result in physical and emotional spousal
abuse, and even death.
The "Catch Them Young" project aims
to empower girls on multiple levels: through acquisition of computer skills to access and
use the Web to view stories from women survivors and engage in dialogue; through sharing
their personal stories; and through on-line forums that offer support services, advise, and
counseling. The relative anonymity of virtual dialogue will enable participants to honestly
exchange ideas, provide richer and deeper insights on spousal abuse, and provide an outlet
for young girls to discuss violence perpetrated against them– a taboo topic, thereby helping
them to uncover misconceptions and understand their rights. The activities of this project
will be documented and disseminated through the internet, journal article publications, and
presentations to expose the plight of these girls.
project aims to empower girls on multiple levels: through acquisition of computer skills to
access and use the Web to view stories from women survivors and engage in dialogue; through
sharing their personal stories; and through on-line forums that offer support services,
advise, and counseling. The relative anonymity of virtual dialogue will enable participants
to honestly exchange ideas, provide richer and deeper insights on spousal abuse, and provide
an outlet for young girls to discuss violence perpetrated against them– a taboo topic,
thereby helping them to uncover misconceptions and understand their rights. The activities
of this project will be documented and disseminated through the internet, journal article
publications, and presentations to expose the plight of these girls.
The activities will also generate the evidence that will be used as part of the persuasive materials for advocating serious monitoring and implementation of the Nigerian law against early marriage. Up-scaling will involve extending the project to other regions of the country to help other child victims, and promote social and legal change
THE TRANSFORMATIONMy name is X (We removed her name). I am a native of Achi in Oji River local government area of Enugu state. I am the second child in the family of six to Mr. and Mrs. XY (We removed the family’s name)I grew up as an obedient young girl, but it didn’t last long because I started keeping bad company and because I was a novice and also naïve they were able to lead me to the wrong track and I started living a rough life. After my SSCE exam, I became pregnant, and I gave birth to a wonderful baby girl {Sochima by name}. After the birth of my baby, I thought that I won’t be able to pursue my dreams, but it was like I have lost everything.Then the transformation day came, the day of a new beginning and the dawn /time of a new era, and it took its place at the police station where the director of INWELLE CENTER saw me, brought me to the Centre and counseled me there, gave me a golden opportunity and made me turn a new leaf.
Right now, I am independent, I can now operate a computer system, and I am looking forward to a bright future awaiting me and my little angel. I pray and I am working towards making my baby grow into a responsible girl with all the necessary education qualifications with the income I am earning from INWELLE CENTER.
THANKS INWELLE CENTER.