In 2023, we directly impacted over 6,000 people with programs and resources that empower survivors and end sexual violence worldwide!
But we didn’t start here—14 years ago, we began by listening to the dreams of one survivor in Kenya and one survivor in Zambia. After meeting these two survivors, Nikole was challenged to discover that their stories represented millions of women: 1 in 3 women are survivors of sexual abuse worldwide. Still, these survivors had incredible dreams of defying oppressive cultural expectations to pursue their academic dreams and ensure no other girl went through the same trauma they experienced.
In 2010, Freely in Hope’s story began by providing academic scholarships because we knew that access to education was one of the most powerful opportunities to help survivors achieve their dreams. But soon after, we realized that healing the aftereffects of trauma required a holistic approach. Beyond high school and university scholarships, we needed to provide Holistic Education through counseling, safe housing, health care, mentorship, and a community of belonging for survivors to grow, heal, and thrive together. As survivors began to heal from trauma, their dreams expanded with a common desire to build a world without sexual abuse. They wanted to be part of the mission as leaders, innovators, and speakers. Guided by the vision of survivors, we launched Leadership Development Programs to equip survivors to be transformational, influential, and collaborative leaders in their communities.
As their leadership grew, we also grew by learning from their inspiring solutions for building a violence-free world. They needed platforms to share their stories filled with hope, healing, and possibility.
With the support of Freely in Hope, survivors launched Storytelling Platforms to implement their solutions. Through programs, resources, and initiatives that prevent sexual abuse and care for survivors in their communities, our impact has multiplied to serve survivors, children, and community leaders around the world! Through our new children’s book, Pendo’s Power, we provided child protection trainings reaching 2,601 children, parents, teachers, and organizational leaders in Kenya. Through Super Girls Revolution, we fought against child marriage, trafficking, and forced prostitution by mentoring 62 teenage girls in Zambia. Through Reclaim, our survivor support group curriculum, we provided a virtual safe space for survivors and equipped spiritual leaders with support to provide survivor support groups in their communities worldwide.
As survivor-leaders have been equipped with education, leadership, and opportunities to share their stories, they’ve become lawyers, educators, spokeswomen, and community leaders with transformational impact around the world.
Daily, we have been inspired by Freely in Hope’s survivor-leaders, carrying our mission forward at a global scale.
- 93% of our full-time staff are from the communities we serve in Kenya and Zambia
- 88% identify as survivors of sexual abuse.
- 9 alumni have been employed by Freely in Hope.
We see a beautiful opportunity to bring our survivor-leadership model full circle by fully transitioning the organization to be led by African survivors. To support ownership, autonomy, and equitable decision-making, we are excited to announce that executive leadership will be transitioned from Nikole Lim to Trizah Gakwa. For the past five years, Trizah has been an instrumental champion in scaling Freely in Hope’s impact, influencing local and global anti-sexual violence initiatives, and ensuring survivors’ stories are centered and included in systems change. Together, we’ll be making strategic shifts over the next two years to move us closer to our vision to scale survivor-led programs. We look forward to making this possible with supporters like you!
We believe that survivors of sexual abuse have the potential to become the most powerful liberators in our world.
This shift allows us to prove this model as we continue to raise up the next generation of survivor-leaders. As you read through the stories of incredible survivor-leaders across Kenya and Zambia, we hope you feel inspired and encouraged to join us.
In a world where survivors aren’t believed, your stance with Freely in Hope shows survivors that they are not alone, that healing is possible, and that we can build a safer world together. Thank you for investing in the dreams of survivors through Freely in Hope.
With gratitude,
Nikole Lim, International Director
Trizah Gakwa, Africa Regional Director
