The Report of ‘The Survivor’s Walk’, organized by Hidden in His Strength between the 27th to 29th of March 2018 at ASA Kingdom, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The survivor’s walk is an initiative initiated by Hidden in His Strength, a platform which is aimed at supporting and empowering survivors/victims of sexual abuse.
The Survivor’s Walk serves as an interventional, educational and empowering project which is aimed at finding lasting solutions to the ills of sexual abuse and violence in various communities in Nigeria and Africa at large.
The first edition of “The Survivor’s Walk” was held at ASA kingdom in Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria. A small Village in the suburb of Iwo town South Western Nigeria. It had volunteers from Lagos, Ibadan and Ife, who joined hands with the organisers to create awareness on the importance of sex education, demerits of sexual abuse, how to curb the immoral growth of sexual abuse in our communities and also provide valuable information and support to identified victims.
INTRODUCTION
The Survivor’s Walk was birthed out of personal experiences of Rape and sexual violence.
The need to create awareness on the dangerous effect of sexual abuse, factors that contribute to it, how to proffer lasting solutions and also lend helping arms to victims by taking them through a healing process which includes basic/professional counselling, providing basic information and empowerment.
This report provides the reader with detailed information about our journey to ASA Kingdom in Iwo town, Osun State, South western Nigeria, the challenges we encountered, our achievements and recommendation on how to further kick against sexual and child abuse in our communities.
Sexual abuse can be described by the Oxford Dictionary as an act of carrying out sexual activities forcefully, under threat, or without consent, this encompasses Rape and other forms of sexual assault. It can also be referred to as molestation.
Although, the most affected party in sexual abuse is the female gender while the male is also not left out of this evil act, In other words, sexual abuse is not a one-sided victimization of a gender, it affects both the male and female gender.
Sexual abuse is a common phenomenon, it is known worldwide. It encompasses a range of acts, including forceful sex in relationships, marriages, uncles to their nieces, fathers to daughters, even grandfathers to their granddaughters. There are different cases of sexual abuse across the globe which keeps growing everyday as a result of lack of proper education and orientation.
In a bid to proffer solution to this immoral act, Hidden in His Strength embarked on a 3-day Journey to the grassroots level. Upon critical research, it is considered that this inhumane act is more rampant at the grassroots level where the residents are not aware of what is happening in the world at large, no access to internet facilities or mobile phone services.
THE SURVIVOR’S WALK 2018
The Outreach was divided into three different stages: first stage, which was attached to the first day of the walk, was the awareness day where we took a walk through Adaatan High School and Irepodun Middle School to sensitize the students and we did house to house sensitisation for parents within the community.
The second day opened at the ASA Community Hall where medical screenings, counselling and distribution of sanitary towels to the first 60 students that were in attendance. This scheme was part of our campaign for good hygiene for the girl as it was discovered that majority of girls in suburban Africa do not have access to sanitary towels, hence we decided to incorporate this into our campaign.
It was shocking to know that majority of the girls in this community didn’t know how to use sanitary towels nor even seen one before, we had to a quick demo to teach them and they were excited to learn.
The third stage, which was the last day of the walk, ended as a thanksgiving concert where the residents of the community alongside the king, His entourage and other important members of committee were gathered together with The Survivor’s Walk team to give glory to God on the success of the Outreach and also an attempt at winning souls for Christ since because we are a Christian organisation. This concert was targeted at healing and winning, for the kingdom of God and we are glad to state that over 150 souls people accepted the gift of salvation.
Their names were gathered and we are optimistic to get a sponsorship that will enable us provide bibles to these souls and get it across to them and also do a follow-up programs for them.
THE PROCESS
One the first day on arrival to the community we proceeded to the Oba’s Palace where the team was welcomed by the King His Queen and His team. After the warm welcome by the king, the team proceeded to Adaatan High School and Irepodun Middle School to sensitize the students on sexual abuse as a crime and an act of dehumanization in the society.
The team had moments of impacting positively to the lives of youths in the schools. They were enlightened on the danger of forceful sexual intercourse and how to prevent it, factors that contribute to it and where to report any case of sexual abuse which includes calling us (we made our contacts available to them). We set up helplines to that effect. In the course of the sensitization, the students were not 100% receptive as there were some of them, especially the boys giving negative feedback to the team while the awareness was on going. However, there was adequate cooperation from the girls.
Furthermore, the team proceeded on indoor sensitization by going house to house and educating parents on the importance of taking proper care of their children in order to avoid sexual abuse. Part of the things they were taught are:
- Making sure that children are properly dressed up.
- Bathing the girl child indoors only.
- Cautioning children from playing alone or in isolated areas.
- Educating their children about sexual boundaries and what they shouldn’t be doing with adults.
- Watching out the kind of conversation they have with themselves in the presence of their children.
- Protection of their children from unhealthy communications with either other children or adults.
- Setting boundaries for children and empowering them to speak out and talk to adults in the event that something unusual happens.
- Non-bathing of a girl child by a male adult who isn’t their Dad.
1000 flyers were printed in Yoruba Language stating brief details of how to prevent sexual abuse and rape and contact details in case such things further occur. All the flyers were exhausted at the end of the Outreach.
At the end of the day, the students were given customized pen while their teachers were given branded shirts and face caps.
On the second day, the team setup at ASA COMMUNITY HALL where the students were lectured and counselled on awareness about rape, sexual assault, Do’s and Donts, dangers associated with sexual violence.
Additionally, we had chlamydia screening for 10 girls, one on one confidential moment between the students and the team members, distribution of sanitary towels to sixty students and a live registration of all the sixty students for the sanitary towel with the Olori of ASA kingdom. The students were encouraged to contact the Hidden in His Strength support team to report any act of sexual violence at any time.
The third day was the grand finale of the walk which featured a worship concert. Residents of the community alongside the king were gathered together with ‘The Survivor’s Walk’ team to give glory to God.
The guest artiste for the day was Tomistone, a gospel singer who made the day a remarkable one, another ground-breaking artiste of the day was Pastor Moji Alawiye, a well-known Nigerian gospel artiste. She was welcomed by the king of the kingdom, and her stage presence made a lot of impact and many souls gave their lives to Christ. There was the heavy presence of God, lives were touched and hope was brought to ASA kingdom.
ACHIEVEMENTS
The outreach was a huge success, ASA kingdom had a new story to tell and it won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Our presence in the village raised a lot of hopes and this helped to changed their view of the future of the young adults. Sixty girls benefited from the free lifetime sanitary towel scheme which will given out to them on a monthly basis until they move away from the Village the sanitary towels that will be given yearly to the Olori of ASA kingdom, who will in time give them out to the girls on a monthly basis.
We had 30 Volunteers in total, these we recruited by Social media adverts.
We reached out to 400 girls in total and their confidence was well boosted.
We reached out to 200 adults on a one to one basis teaching them and giving out detailed information about what to do in the event that a child has been sexually molested, and how to prevent future occurrences.
150 people gave their lives to Christ on the 3rd day at the gospel concert Their names were gathered and we are optimistic to get a sponsorship that will enable us provide bibles to these souls and get it across to them and also do a follow-up.
There was a documentation of the experience of students who were victims of sexual abuse. The organizers had one on one conversation with these victims and proper psychological aid and material aid were given to them.
Medical screening which was majorly a test for Chlamydia, an asymptomatic sexually transmitted disease that usually leads to infertility in victims if not treated on time was done for some of the girls and the tested victims were negative.
COSTS
2210 Pounds which equalled 1,093,950 naira was raised in total for the Outreach.
The team Visited the Village Once in December and Once in February Both Visits Costed the team 110,000 naira
There was provision for feeding and transportation for the volunteers who served with the team for the duration of the three days. Transportation and feeding for 3 days= 300,000 naira
Branding of shirts, face caps, Bags, Banners, Pens and flyers=210,000
Stage and instruments hire, transport costs, payments to singers and crew for the worship concert= 185,000
Photography=40,000
90 bundles of sanitary towels have been purchased= 405,000
Social media adverts= 20,000
Miscellaneous= 30,000
A total of 1,300,000 which equals 2600pounds was spent in total.
CHALLENGES
During the Outreach, there were lots of challenges. Amongst these challenges are:
- Risk of Lives: The team members were on the road from Ibadan-Asa Town for the whole week, However we thank God no incident occurred.
- Financially Demands: The target cost for the walk was costed at 3500 pounds we only got a target of 2600, this put a strain on what the team could and couldn’t do financially. Some people had to bear the brunt of the final costs.
- Lack of Confidence of the students: At the second day of the walk, there was counselling session in which the victims of sexual abuse were expected to confide in the survivor’s walk team members and discuss their ordeal but they had the fear of being mocked, as time went by, the organizers gained the trust of some of the few victims.
- Inadequate Financial Support: The event was a voluntary step taken to help eradicate social dehumanization, in lieu of this, there was inadequate the lack of financial support. The organizers had to source for fund, especially through their purses and well-meaning individuals but it wasn’t enough. As a result of this, the organizers could not carry out all the plans for the event.
RECOMMENDATION
In conclusion, the programme was a success, ASA kingdom had a new story to tell as about sixty girls were given sanitary towels and booked for free lifetime access to sanitary towels that will be given yearly to the Olori of ASA kingdom.
Hidden in His Strength gave a support line for victims of sexual violence to voice out and make their grievances known. There is always a quick response to any reported case of sexual Violence made known to Hidden in His Strength team.
We are determined to stop the culture of silence and we encourage speaking out about this moral decadence which has eaten deep into our society.
We aim to continue this on a yearly basis combing the villages in Africa and replicating these outreach, Hence plans for “The Survivor’s Walk” 2019 is already in the pipeline. We are calling on partners and Volunteers to help make this work possible. You can give a token on a monthly basis. Every Little helps. Volunteer to walk with us.
For more pictures Check the gallery here
