A Safe Space to Start Again: Stephania’s Journey of Courage and Care

At a Women’s Safe Space in Oruchinga, Uganda, Namweugo Stephania, a 58-year-old Ugandan from Kisolo village in Isingiro district, came with her twin grandchildren, Kato and Kakuru, to ask for support in searching for her daughter.  

“My daughter left these two kids. I am looking for her to come back”, narrated Stephania, with her grandchildren in her arms.

She told a story about her daughter’s pregnancy when she was in school. However, once her daughter's partner realised that she was pregnant, he suddenly disappeared without saying anything to her. Stephania's husband also did not want to acknowledge the children, and he beat her as a punishment. Although she started receiving counselling in October 2024 due to the domestic violence from her father, Stephania's daughter left her home and her children. Since then, Stephania has taken care of the children, but her husband also left home with all their belongings, as a form of punishment because she acknowledged them as their grandchildren. 

“I needed help supporting my grandchildren and I in living sustainably and searching for my daughter. Meanwhile, I heard about a Women’s Safe Space providing essential services, and this is my second time visiting here,” said Stephania.  

Two fully functional Women's Safe Spaces have been constructed in the Nakivale and Oruchinga refugee settlements in Isingiro district, which was a part of the project funded by the UNOCHA under the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). This project seeks to provide critical lifesaving protection services to refugees and host community women and girls, including women at risk and survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), exploitation and abuse. The two Women’s Safe Spaces received 1,999 women and girls and 326 men and boys by the end of November 2024. A Women’s Safe Space ensures women from the refugee settlement and host community receive counselling, emergency medical aid, referrals and unconditional emergency cash support.  

Stephania received unconditional emergency cash support of 70,000 Ugandan Shillings (about $20), and she was able to buy supplemental items and food for her grandchildren by using 20,000 Ugandan Shillings from the total and to start her new business selling bananas with the rest of the cash. While continually receiving financial literacy, she slowly but successfully started to run her new business by selling products and saving a little money from her earnings.  Her case of searching for the daughter was also reported through a referral in September 2024, and it has been undertaken by working closely with local police and legal counselling. The local counsellor also started visiting her husband’s house to talk to him to accept his daughter again. 

“I thank you for this service, and I am glad that I found this Women’s Safe Space. This helps me earn money to feed my grandchildren and have legal support to find my daughter,” Stephania expressed her appreciation.  
 

UN Women is dedicated to addressing the escalating GBV crisis in Uganda’s refugee response. The comprehensive approach focuses on protecting vulnerable populations, offering immediate support and securing a safe environment for refugee and host community women and girls. This CERF project enabled vulnerable women and girls to access Women’s Safe Spaces, obtain essential and basic support per case and restart their new and resilient lives.