Resilient Woman targets currently incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and their children helping in building resilience and confidence of the women by equipping them with skills and abilities to understand and identify causes of trauma. We equip them with tools to address trauma and recover from their wounded traumatic past. We see trauma management as the first step towards effective transition and re-entry back into their communities. Finding peace within themselves, their families, and their communities is crucial for successful reintegration. Trauma healing and trauma management training helps women gradually acquire healing from the paralyzing effect of imprisonment setting them on a path to begin living normal and productive lives.

Recognizing that there are myriad post-release challenges that women face including stigma, discrimination, and alienation, some even become victims of mob justice especially when there are cases of theft in the neighborhood to which they return. Against this backdrop, we link previously incarcerated women with trained mentors who walk with them through their post-release journey helping them to reconnect with their families, children, and communities by providing support and guidance.

We also support the children affected by parental incarceration, recognizing that if the child’s life and well-being are not taken care of, the cycle of vulnerability and incarceration is most likely to replay.

In our trauma management program, we provide trauma management training to women who are within 3 to 6 months of leaving the correctional facility. The objective is to help women deal with emotional and psychological issues associated with incarceration and pre-imprisonment experiences and to be able to handle post-release challenges. The training helps to rebuild their confidence and self-esteem and provides tools to help them take charge of their lives and begin to live normal lives in their communities. This group therapeutic session provides a safe space for women to share the experiences of their lives that have brought pain and emotional baggage.

Additionally, our public awareness program aims to remove the perceived attributes and stigma resulting from being formerly incarcerated and mobilize community support for ex-prisoners to engage in community activities, re-connect and re-establish relationships with their families and communities.  We hope that this creates a conducive environment for the women and their children to reintegrate and begin to live normal and productive lives.

Far beyond the psychosocial issues that influence the ex-offender’s reintegration, lack of livelihood is another main barrier to re-entry. Lack of income, often causes women to go back to the illicit, illegal activities and life of crime that lead them back to prison. The objective of this priority area is to equip the women and girls with business skills and link them up with supporters to access business capital.