VIDEO: June Impact Report | June 29, 2020
As the world begins to slowly reopen, each of our Sanctuaries & the survivors in our program are beginning to navigate the new realities of life during COVID-19.
Though the United States has begun its reopening, most of the world still faces extreme uncertainty as COVID-19 continues to spread. With infection rates continuing to rise in India, Uganda & Mexico, our teams' big challenge is: how do we deepen our program engagement with each woman from afar.
Hear from our Directors as they share an update from each Sanctuary:
Mumbai, India
Virtual education through the Academy. This Spring marked four years since the launch of our Academy in India. Though our Sanctuary continues to remain closed, our Academy lessons are continuing over Zoom.
Each day the women receive a mix of math practice, writing, puzzles and fun art activities to work on throughout the day. They complete the task and then upload their work on a shared drive.
It hasn't been easy to get all the women to complete their work and on time and access to the internet can be spotty, but with constant follow ups and one-on-one coaching, they're starting to get into the groove of things!
“I am working to engage the women while they are at home, by creating learnable tasks for them. I am also using this opportunity to teach them art, something I've always wanted to do with them, but never had the space to do it. “ - Divya, Academy Instructor
Orange County, California
Returning to work in Orange County. With the support of our partner, Aiden Whisper, we threw a welcome back party for the young women. It was a day of celebration and community made possible because of the influx of support we've received since March.
Working at International Sanctuary is much more than a job. It is a safe space where they can heal and grow alongside women who understand what they have been through. As the world continues to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sanctuary brings stability and support into their lives.
Kampala, Uganda
Building sisterhood around the world. As we all get tired of daily zoom calls, it is fun to see new faces. Recently, our Sanctuary's in India & Uganda began initiating Zoom calls between survivors in each Sanctuary. They ask each other questions and enjoy speaking with their peers from around the world.
Tijuana, Mexico
Financial security for each family. Several of the women’s husbands have either lost their jobs or they had a pay cut. This means the majority of the women are now the main financial support for their families. Fortunately, every woman in our program has been and continues to receive her full paycheck. To support each family through this pandemic, a group of partners came together to donate school supplies, medical masks and food.
