A home is not a home without a way to provide nourishment for yourself and your children. Before the renovation, when women arrived at the Safe House they would have nothing with which to cook – no pots, no stove, and no food. Instead, when ARC staff knew there was to be a guest at the Safe House, they would rush to gather some extra food, or even just take them to a neighbor nearby for a quick meal. The system didn’t make sense. And for women who are running from domestic abuse, not having even the most basic of their needs met only sharpens their pain.
So for Day 10 of the Safe House renovation project, the team set out to provide everything a woman needs to feed her family at the Safe House – ready for her arrival.
To start, ARC staff purchased one cooking stove, along with 10kg of flour and 10kg of beans kept ready and waiting for guests. A new system has been established to purchase the flour and beans ahead of time, so that food will always be available.
Plates, cups, bowls, and utensils are kept in stock as well, so that families have everything they need for a comfortable meal. And pots and pans of varying sizes – so mothers can cook for their families, big and small.
Now, when women and their children arrive at the Safe House in Rubondo they will walk into a room filled with the tools they need to feed their families. And after facing days, weeks, and even months of hardship, mothers will feel certain that they can count on at least one thing – keeping their children safe, and fed.
The Safe House renovation is almost complete! But we’re not done yet. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s finishing touch – equipping the Safe House with the resources families need to heal and get their lives back on track.
