NGO supports women with counselling, business skills to overcome trauma

The Rape, Abuse, and Rejection Initiative (Project R.A.R.E) says it has directly supported more than 10 women through therapy, mentorship, and business empowerment, equipping them with tools for healing, resilience, and growth.

Founded in 2022, the social impact movement says it is committed to sensitising society, aiding healing and supporting survivors across the south-east and beyond Africa.

In a statement, Glory Chuks Amacha K., founder of the initiative, said research shows that more than 70 percent of young people have experienced rape, abuse or the effects of broken homes and family separation.

“Left unaddressed, this growing crisis poses serious risks to the stability of our universities, the strength of our families and future families, and the health of society at large. Project R.A.R.E seeks to address this urgent need through therapy, counselling, mentorship, and empowerment initiatives,” she said.

Amacha said many survivors endure their pain in silence, constrained by stigma, misinformation, and inadequate support systems. She noted that childhood trauma, in particular, is often overlooked, leaving lasting scars on mental health, education and personal development.

She said the initiative, started by three young women with weekly female-only meetings, held its first major programme, R.A.R.E 1.0, in July 2023 and built a community of over 400 young people.

“Our vision is to create a society where survivors of rape, abuse, and rejection can heal, access adequate support, and be empowered to thrive as whole individuals contributing positively to humanity,” she said.

Achievements so far include five awareness campaigns across Ebonyi state, therapy and empowerment for four survivors, and reporting of cases to the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Community in Abakaliki and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

Amacha added that Project R.A.R.E plans to expand its reach in 2025 and beyond, with goals that include training 200 women in self-defence, providing therapy access for 50 survivors, and hosting R.A.R.E 2.0, a large-scale sensitisation campaign in November 2025.