Giving a helping hand to victims of sexual abuse
The Emerge Lanka Foundation recently launched the Emerge Centre for Reintegration to support young courageous survivors of sexual abuse as they make the transition from the shelter system into society.
The inauguration of the Emerge Centre for Reintegration is a pioneering step in extending Emerge’s mission to support survivors of sexual abuse in Sri Lanka.
For over a decade, the Emerge Lanka Foundation has supported courageous young female survivors, aged 10-18, who have been placed in shelters while they sought legal justice against perpetrators of sexual abuse.
Through Emerge’s comprehensive curriculum emphasising life-skills, leadership, and business acumen, the girls find themselves invigorated and engaged in building tools for self-sufficiency as well as savings for their lives outside the shelter through their flagship Beads-toBusiness programme (for more information www. emergeglobal.org).
Prior to the Centre’s creation, survivors over 18 were recognised as adults and were no longer covered by the shelter system and had to find their way.
For the few fortunate young women, programmes such as Emerge help them gain new skills and some financial independence.
Emerge’s new Centre provides space for up to 16 young women upon leaving the shelter. Centre participants will follow a 3-month residential reintegration programme developed for their specific needs to ensure a smooth and successful transition into society.
This includes daily workshops on interpersonal skills, skills related to strengthening their employability (including IT and English training), and in-house counseling. Participants will also take part in a professional internship and placement programme.
While the house is on loan for three years to conduct the pilot programme, the majority of the building renovations, furniture, and programme and operational costs for the first year have been achieved through fundraising and awareness campaigning work conducted by the Colombo Round Table 1 led with commitment by national cricketer Jehan Mubarak.