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2011: In Sierra Leone, mitigating child assault


December 30, 2011
By George Rupp

“It is not your fault,” says the IRC’s Amie Kandeh (center), consoling a 14-year-old girl named Fulamatu, as her mother listens. “You must believe that.” Amie and her team help dozens of girls like Fulamatu every month at the IRC’s three Rainbo Centers – facilities that provide medical care, counseling, legal aid and educational support for survivors of sexual violence.

Photo: Melissa Winkler/IRC

In October, influential New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof wrote two columns about the epidemic of child rape in this precarious country.  His reports were heart-wrenching, describing girls of tender age requiring treatment at the International Rescue Committee rape center in Freetown.  

Nick’s columns helped promote greater public awareness of a scourge that reaches far beyond Sierra Leone.  IRC donors, however, helped us to provide the much-needed support that survivors now find at our IRC center.  

To Help

Make a gift to the IRC: Together, we will continue to help survivors heal while changing local attitudes to make justice imperative for the perpetrators.
 
All online gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1.9 million through December 31.
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2 comments

Comments

My heart breaks for these

Submitted by Nancy Natysin (not verified) on January 22, 2012 - 1:27am.

My heart breaks for these children. I pray that somehow they will heal. I thank God for the men and women committed to care for, love, and help them feel like children again. I cannot wrap my mind around these barbarick acts of violence inflicted on innocent children. I can barely breath.

Healthy,energetic senior

Submitted by jack francis winn (not verified) on December 30, 2011 - 7:51pm.

Healthy,energetic senior would like to volunteer in Sierra Leone possibly mentoring young folks about starting a business

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