In a society where Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is often met with silence
and survivors are left ashamed, guilty and without a voice, The Women At
Risk International Foundation WARIF in active partnership with the
Washington DC Rape Crises Centre, the DSVRT, other NGOs and most recently,
the ACT Foundation has marked a year of significant impact in the war
against GBV in Nigeria.
From Left- ACT Foundation’s Olumide Emeralds, WARIF Centre Manager Detutu Ajibodu, Dr Kemi DaSilva Ibru and Head of Programme,ACT Foundation Mrs Ndifreke Okwuegbunam.
The anniversary celebration which was held at the WARIF Centre, Yaba Lagos
was marked with an Appreciation Brunch in honour of Partners of the
Foundation who had contributed in no small measure to the laudable
successes of the Foundation’s several projects at the Centre and on field
service in its first year.
Dr Kemi DaSilva Ibru warmly receives a gift for the Centre from Mrs. Ruth Goma (near Left) at the WARIF’s One Year Anniversary Appreciation Brunch Held Wednesday, December 6th at the WARIF Centre, Yaba, Lagos.
Speaking at the celebration, The Founder of WARIF Dr. Kemi DaSilva Ibru
highlighted key lessons on the journey thus far in the fight against GBV in
Nigeria.
“The issue that we decided to work with, the space that we are working in,
is a very difficult one. It is difficult because of the content, dealing
with sexual abuse and rape of children and young women is hard to say the
least. It is also very difficult because we are working in an environment
that is not very forgiving and very understanding of the problem. As a
non-profit, we were quick to realize that we were impacting through our
work and through our initiatives only because of the collaboration with
other groups and organisations such as you all and with the assistance of
different people that we have been fortunate to have met along the way … and
so it was very easy to arrive at this decision to have a brunch, simply to
say thank you to each and every one of our esteemed partners.”
Classic FM’s Leading OAP, Sholz with Dr. KemiDaSilva Ibru at the Anniversary Appreciation Brunch Held Wednesday, December 6th at the WARIF Centre, Yaba, Lagos.
Since inception, the Centre has treated an average of 361 beneficiaries.
From offering FREE Medical Care, Counselling, Shelter and Legal aid at the
WARIF Centre – a Rape Crisis Centre, as well as providing a 24hr
confidential helpline available to all young girls and women who are in
need of their services, the Foundation also implements preventive
initiatives such as the WARIF School Education Program WESP-providing
curriculums to address and prevent rape and sexual violence in schools and
reaching out to children and adolescents in communities.
Mr and Mrs Ibru at the WARIF’s One Year Anniversary Appreciation Brunch Held Wednesday, December 6th at the WARIF Centre, Yaba, Lagos.
While expressing profound gratitude to partners of the Foundation Dr
DaSilva Ibru stated thus, “We have whilst working at the WARIF Centre, met
wonderful organizations that have helped us immensely so we can offer
medical treatment, counseling, as well as social welfare in reaching out
to women in need from the women seen and treated at the WARIF
centre, education school children in different secondary schools to women
in the rural areas through the training of Traditional Birth Attendants
with the WARIF Gate Keepers Project and other projects dear to our heart as
a non-profit organisation.”
CNN’s Torrera Idowu in light conversations with Media Personality Ozzy Agu at the WARIF’s One Year Anniversary Appreciation Brunch Held Wednesday, December 6th at the WARIF Centre, Yaba, Lagos.
The Founder reiterated the position of the Foundation in remaining
committed to the fight against GBV, paving the way through meaningful and
life-long-lasting initiatives towards the care and assistance of all
women, girls and children in need in the society, calling appropriate
authorities to action and providing the much-needed care, treatment and
education to survivors of GBV FREE of charge, with continued strategies
that seek to reduce the number of cases in our communities across Nigeria.
ABOUT WARIF
Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF) is a Non-Governmental
Organization that was incorporated in 2016 by Dr. Kemi Da-Silva Ibru MD;
MPH in response to the high incidence of sexual assault, rape and human
trafficking occurring among young girls and women across Nigeria. This
is achieved
through the implementation of immediate and preventive target –oriented
interventions, that all have the hallmark of the foundation initiatives of
being impactful, measurable and sustainable.
