Girls Shelter: Protection and Justice for Over 3,200 Girls

Data from our shelters in Makeni and Bo – March 2025

Over the past ten years – from 2015 to March 2025 – our team at Commit and Act Foundation Sierra Leone (CAF-SL) has supported a total of 3,208 girls who were victims of sexual abuse in our Girls Shelters in Bo and Makeni.

This number alone is both shocking and a powerful reminder of how essential and urgently needed our support is. The data speaks for itself:

• 128 girls were between the ages of 0 and 5,

• 1,678 girls were aged 6 to 14,

• 1,367 girls were between 15 and 18 years old,

• 35 young women were 19 or older.

The majority of survivors -more than half- are still in childhood. This clearly shows how crucial safe spaces and preventive work in schools and communities continue to be.

A cultural change

When we began this work in 2015, sexual abuse was a social taboo. Many girls were stigmatized and excluded after the assault. Perpetrators were often protected or went unpunished. Today, we are witnessing a profound shift in the districts of Bo and Bombali:

• Girls are receiving protection and psychosocial support.

• Families are being helped to accept and strengthen their children.

• Perpetrators are being reported and brought to court.

Our shelters offer not only a safe place to stay, they also represent a powerful symbol of a growing culture of awareness, justice, and healing.

Ein Mädchen wird auf ihren Gerichtstermin vorbereitet.

More than just numbers

Behind each figure is a girl with a story. A child who has learned to trust again. A family that has learned not to stay silent. A community that has begun to take responsibility.

We thank all our supporters, partner organizations, and especially our dedicated staff in Bo and Makeni, who make this life-changing work possible every day.

Together, we are creating spaces where healing can begin—and where abuse has no future.

In the group, the girls receive support while also learning important lessons about hygiene and self-care.