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 nightstand next to the beds, in case of an unexpected intrusion. The panic buttons will alert police that the Safe House guests are in danger.
Before, if guests needed to use the latrine at night, they would have no lights to guide their way. Now a flashlight also sits atop the nightstand, for guests to use in a variety of circumstances in the evening, like walking to the latrines. Finally, two portable solar lights are available to illuminate the inside of the house and provide extra security outside if needed. Requiring nothing to charge besides the sun, these lights help to greatly reduce the risks women face when venturing out alone into the dark.
These first security measures are a big improvement and will go a long way to ensuring the safety and peace of mind of all those who seek shelter in the Safe House. For less than $500 in total, women and their children can rest easier knowing that these small, practical safeguards are there if, and when, they need them.
NOTE: To further ensure the security of the Safe House and its guests, we’d like to install a security fence. But the $5,000 price tag exceeded our $500 daily budget. If you’re interested in funding a security fence for the Safe House, please contact Angela Eifert at AngelaE@ARChq.org or (612) 607-6481.
