Nigeria: The Hearts of Hope Shelter for Women
Faith Anietie Akpan
Faith Anietie Akpan was admitted into the shelter in October 2021 with her two daughters, Miracle Anietie Akpan, age four and Favour Anietie Akpan, age two. Faith had fled domestic violence at the hands of her husband, accusing him of sexually molesting their young children. Tests at a leading sexual violence response institution, the Mirabel Centre in Lagos also confirmed her claims. Being from the South-South State of Akwa Ibom, her two daughters were at the risks of FGM. Faith’s attempts at reporting the case to police and government agencies in Akwa Ibom hit the rock due to the influence of her rich husband. Her life was also at risks thus she fled the state and sought protection at our shelter for two and half months. In the course of their stay, we helped Faith access medical care for her daughters, provided a counsellor for her and assisted her with a small business support grant at the point of departure in December 2021 (she moved in to her own rented apartment. We continued to monitor their welfare and once invited her back to the shelter for one more counselling session.
Chinonyerem Friday
Chinonyerem Friday was admitted into the Heart of Hope Shelter on the 11th of February 2022 with her new-born baby boy. A victim of severe domestic abuse, her five-year-old daughter was also at the risk of FGM in Abia State, South Eastern Nigeria where FGM is rife. After she fled the state, she stayed with her elder sister in a Lagos slum. Our attention was drawn to her plight after she gave birth at a Lagos hospital and was detained at the hospital alongside her baby for two weeks due to inability to pay the bills of N73,200 ($173). We helped cleared the bill and took her into the shelter alongside her daughter and newborn baby. We provided her with counseling and other psychosocial needs. During her stay at the shelter, she was taught economic skills to perform the job of a beautician. After two months, she left the shelter and received a grant to start a small business.
Esther Iheanacho, 16 Jahre
Esther was brought to Lagos from southeastern Nigeria at a young age by her mother to prevent genital mutilation and other forms of violence against women in her community. Her mother remarried in Lagos, but when Esther became a teenager, her stepfather began sexually molesting her. In June 2021, she was rescued and brought to the shelter after spending three months on the streets in Lagos to escape violence at home. At the shelter, she received counseling and psychosocial support. Esther changed in a short time and returned home. She was placed in a nearby school and joined CEE-HOPE’s new girls‘ soccer club as a goalkeeper. She is currently doing very well and is one of our best success stories.
Lateefat Ibrahim
Lateefat Ibrahim, a 37-year-old housewife and petty trader, nearly died at the hands of her husband in Lagos on April 6, 2021. Her drug-addicted husband took a knife and ran after her to kill her. This was the culmination of years of physical and psychological abuse in her marriage, which produced four children. At the time of the last attack, she was seven months pregnant. She was rescued and referred to the women’s shelter by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) due to the lack of adequate or functional shelters. Lateefat Ibrahim was admitted, counseled and cared for at the women’s shelter. In July 2021, she gave birth to a baby boy with the help of CS. Previously, she was trained in soap making and received a small subsidy for her business. As part of the mediation process, she was also brought to the DSVA office several times, and both she and her estranged husband agreed to a separation. On November 17, 2021, she left the shelter with her baby for her home country, Ghana, after spending more than seven months at the shelter and fully rehabilitating. Among other gifts from the shelter, her plane ticket to Ghana was paid for.
Oluwadamilola Elegbede
Oluwadamilola Elegbede, a 22-year-old woman, was admitted to the shelter heavily pregnant together with her 3-year-old daughter Elizabeth. She had fled domestic violence from her partner, by whom she was pregnant and who is the father of her young daughter. Her parents were homeless and sheltered in a church in Lagos. Her daughter was also at risk of genital mutilation. Ms. Elegbede was taken in and fed at the shelter. The shelter paid for her prenatal care and medication at a private hospital (Brafus Specialist Hospital, Ogba, Lagos). She was also assigned a paid professional counselor and taken to the Lagos office of the State Sexual and Domestic Violence Agency (DSVA) for further counseling. In addition, she was offered skills training (beautician training). On April 22, 2022, she gave birth to a baby girl. She received support in the form of baby items and paid hospital bills. With the training completed, she returned to her parents with her baby and three-year-old daughter. She spent a total of two months in the home and left on May 8, 2022.