Trauma Recovery Camp for Liberian Girls

Please Help Us Heal the Wounds of Girls Who Have Experienced Sexual violence in Liberia, West Africa.

If I met you today and showed you the images in my inbox of Liberian girls under the age of 10 who have been sexually violated, I guarantee you that you will lose sleep, as I do many nights. The last image I received was of a 6-year-old baby girl. It was so violent and graphic that it haunts me to this day! This is unfortunately the story of so many young ladies in Liberia. Girls are raped daily with no punishment for the perpetrators or Justice for the victims.

Liberia has suffered decades of violent conflict, and its legacy continues to haunt its people, especially its women and girls. According to the World Health Organization’s 2002 World Report on Sexual Violence, an estimated 61% to 77% of women and girls in Liberia were raped during the 13-year civil war that began in 1989.

In 2020, President George Weah declared rape a national emergency as cases of sexual violence reached alarming levels. The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection reported that nearly 2,000 cases of gender-based violence were recorded in 2022, with 73.7% of these cases being rape, sexual assault, or other sexual violations.

Every Girl Leaves Empowered (EGLE) has been on a mission for the last two and a half years, to transform the lives of young girls in Liberia who have suffered the horrors of sexual violence. Over the years, we have personally funded and facilitated trauma sessions virtually and trauma camps locally.

The truth is that it costs a great deal of money to run these programs. Our last trauma camp held in Liberia in July of 2023 costs us about $18,000.00 United States dollars. The money went to renting a retreat center, purchasing food for 45 campers and 10 support staffs, including cooks, volunteers, and camp co-leaders, 9 guests from the community, and purchasing of plane tickets for therapists and trained facilitators (including nurses) leaving the U.S. The camp lasted for 10 days.

This past December, you came through for us when we raised $5,000.00 for our Christmas Camp titled “Healing Through the Holidays.” I hope you were able to read the updates from that camp. The girls were truly grateful to be thought about during Christmas, as that can be a lonely time for many of them. They grieve the loss of their innocence, and many are without a decent meal on Christmas day. Thank you for listening to our call for help!

We are back again, asking for your support to fund future camps for the girls!” These camps will provide group and individual counseling, as well as vital healing for these brave survivors. Our next camp will last for 10 days, and we are looking to raise $18,000.00 USD.

Would you kindly consider joining us in this great cause?

About EGLE

Every Girl Leaves Empowered (EGLE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing FREE trauma resolution counseling to girls in Liberia who have experienced sexual abuse. Founded by Goumah Conde, a licensed therapist with extensive expertise in trauma counseling, EGLE offers both virtual counseling and in-person trauma resolution camps held twice a year in Liberia.

These camps are not just a space for healing; they are a gateway to empowerment. Through counseling, therapy, and peer support, we help these girls reclaim their voices, their futures, and their sense of worth.

Thank you so much for your support!