It may seem obvious, but perhaps the most important change for this Safe House makeover is making sure the rooms are secure and safe. Imagine running from a violent spouse, and then living in constant fear of that person finding you. This is the reality women face when arriving at the Safe Houses. And before the Safe House renovation - although they had a roof over their heads - these women had no way to ensure that the windows were latched securely, that the doors would lock, or to alert anyone if they were in immediate danger. So Day 9 of the Safe House project is all about security – ensuring that guests feel safe and protected, always. To start, a volunteer from the Nakivale community welded new window handles, attaching them so that the windows can be closed and locked from the inside. Near to the Safe Houses is a police station – so panic buttons were installed next to the door, to be pressed in case of an intruder. Another small, portable panic button was placed on the … [Read more...] about Securing the Safe House

When we got started with the Safe House Makeover, we didn’t realize all the different things we’d need to make it a healing place for women. But the list kept growing – after all, women who come to the Safe Houses in Nakivale Refugee Settlement have left behind everything. So, today we stocked the Safe House with essential items women can use to care for themselves and their young ones, but also with resources for reflection. With the essentials at-hand, they can focus all of their energies on healing. Now, each room is outfitted with a Self-Care Kit, which includes a tooth brush, tooth paste, facial wipes, baby wipes, a nail clipper and file, a comb, lotion, sanitary pads, and a wash cloth. These are basic items needed to feel clean and well-kept. Imagine what a simple thing like having clean nails can do to refresh body and spirit and make someone feel even just a bit better. The self-care kits will help women do the little things that can end up having enormous impact. … [Read more...] about Self-Care

After six days, the rooms of the Safe House are on their way to a complete transformation. They’re equipped to comfort women during times of extreme need and trauma. And, they’re looking beautiful. Once we've finished, women who seek refuge at ARC’s Safe Houses will find a calming environment to rest and reflect. But many of those women come with their children, too. In fact, mothers often leave their homes in order to protect those children, to keep them away from violence and abuse. Like mothers all over the world, moms at Nakivale want their kids to be safe, to be protected, to have the best that life has to offer. When children are staying at the Safe House, it’s possible that, in addition to the trauma they’re facing, their schooling is being interrupted as well. Children need an outlet to play, to learn, and to grow. But before this renovation, the Safe Houses were not equipped to support the children in this way, with no items specifically meant for them. Day 7 is … [Read more...] about A Place For Kids

After the first few days of the makeover, the Safe Houses at Nakivale Refugee Settlement have already come a long way. Instead of empty, harsh rooms, now there’s a fresh coat of paint, furniture, and warm blankets and pillows. The Safe Houses are becoming what they were always meant to be - a place of healing for women who have nowhere else to go. But day 6 of the Safe House transformation is about adding those touches that make a house feel like a home. Because just as important as physical comfort is emotional well-being – the ability to reflect and heal in a peaceful, calming, and beautiful environment. Before this project the Safe House was stark and empty. So the ARC team set out to change all that – by introducing elegant décor to calm and heal. Neutral colors, those that will be easy on the eyes and soothing on the mind, put people at ease. So the team chose colors of nature to fill the rooms – blues, grays, and light greens that mimic the ocean, the daytime sky, … [Read more...] about It Can Be A Beautiful Space

Sometimes the people our team works hard to keep safe are small children. Safe Houses aren’t the right solution for these little ones – they need the loving care and attention of responsible grown-ups. Some of the people we most admire are the refugee foster families who take these children into their homes and care for them as their own. In refugee camps, where conditions are incredibly challenging, you don’t have to look far to find an abundance of generosity and love. Hooray for Foster Families! There are many children in Nakivale settlement who need a nurturing home. Some are orphans, some were separated from their parents and arrived on their own in the settlement, some are in jeopardy, and others may come from families that don’t have the means to care for them. Regardless of the situation, foster families step forward to help. Foster families are residents in the settlement, refugees themselves, who volunteer to take in foster kids and treat them as their own. … [Read more...] about Thanking Foster Families

When women flee their homes, they leave everything behind. They arrive at the camp protection offices exhausted, afraid, and empty handed. The one thing the protection counselors most wanted to provide was the basics – blankets, pillows, extra clothing – the day to day things women need to stay warm and care for their children. It may be surprising to learn that it can get chilly in the refugee settlement, but temperatures can often dip to chilling temperatures overnight and during the rainy season. Having warm clothes and blankets at hand is a must. The colors of the quilt, sheets, and pillows were chosen for calm and tranquility – soothing teal and gray. Two plump pillows were placed on each bed, inviting guests to rest their heads. And the clothing represents a wide range of needs, sizes, and weather conditions – preparing families for every scenario. Having the comforts of home in the Safe Houses will make the women who stay there feel more welcomed, more at home, … [Read more...] about Comforts of Home

After two days, our cleaning and painting crews have worked miracles improving the shell of the Safe House. But we’re not done yet! Day 3 is all about the furniture. We’re furnishing space for two families for less than $500! When women arrive at the Safe Houses in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, ARC staff do everything they can to support them. They work tirelessly to help the people who seek their care. They provide the counseling they need and ensure that they’re connected to any and all services available. But inside the Safe Houses themselves, one vital element is missing – there has never been any permanent furniture. Instead, when a woman needs to stay in the house, staff scrambles to find anything that the women and children can sleep on…that they can use for some comfort. Because resources are scare, families often end up sleeping on the hard ground. That’s why this stage of the Safe House makeover is so critical. Simple furniture will make the rooms feel … [Read more...] about Furnishing the Safe House

Yesterday, the neighbors who live around the safe house joined the ARC team in scrubbing away years of gunk and grime from the walls, doors and windows – and reconnected on why having a safe place for women and children is so important to their community and the refugee settlement as a whole. They say it’s amazing what a coat of paint can do, and on Day 2 of our Safe House Facelift we put that wisdom to the test. The community came out in support again today! There must have been more than two dozen people there helping throughout the day. Some had been there yesterday, and other new people joined. It was amazing to see their dedication to create a space of dignity, beauty, and freshness for women who have survived dark days. As one volunteer said, “Sometimes people just need a safe space to stay.” With an abundance of energy and determination, the painting crew got to work. With such dark brown walls, they needed to get an undercoat up on the wall first. With brushes … [Read more...] about A Fresh Coat of Paint

Do you want to be part of making real change each and every single day? Then join Changemakers 365 today! Members give a monthly donation of $30 or more – or a one-time donation of $365 or more. Anyone who has ever lived in a refugee camp, anywhere in the world, can receive membership in Changemakers 365 without making a donation. Members see the impact of their support each and every day through stories, photos, and video posted on the Changemakers 365 Blog and by email. To join Changemakers 365, simply make a donation on Alight’s website. … [Read more...] about Join Changemakers 365

The world’s tough problems can seem insurmountable. So at ARC, while we tackle those big problems we also do what’s doable. Right then. And that’s what Changemakers 365 is all about. It’s about doing the doable, effecting real change for $500 or less each and every day. What does $500 worth of change look like? More than you’d think. It looks like cots and mattresses – a soft place to rest – for refugees who’ve just completed their journey to a refugee camp. It looks like art supplies for kids who need a safe place to wait while their siblings and parents receive therapy for malnutrition. It looks like a fresh coat of paint for refugee camp buildings, brightening everyone’s day. It looks like real change – every single day – for an entire year. As they go about their daily work, our staff around the world see new opportunities to do better, to do more. Changemakers 365 is about getting behind our staff and helping them seize opportunities to help people in a big way with … [Read more...] about Introducing Changemakers 365