The video we weren’t going to show you
Last week, I met with some of our awesome volunteers in Melbourne to begin planning our February fundraiser (more details of our delicious fundraiser coming soon!). As I caught up with them, I got a chance to fill them in on everything that is happening with our girls' program in El Salvador.
As I shared about where our program is at, they were compelled—not only by how our Women of Hope program is impacting lives in El Salvador but particularly moved by our video (below) of our first girls' conference, Arise and Shine, held back in March.
Arise and Shine 2023, our first girls' conference to educate and empower girls on sexual abuse and violence, was undeniably impactful. Our aim in running this and our future conferences was to begin to pull back the veil on these very serious issues impacting young Salvadoran girls, to counteract the stigma associated with sexual abuse and the societal pressure to remain silent.
I hadn't planned to show you this video as it was something that I had quickly put together on a simple iMovie app. However, those who saw the video last week felt strongly that I needed to share it with all of you as it conveys the profound impact that our conference had on the hearts and minds of the girls who attended Arise and Shine 2023 ❤️.
Our vision through this conference and the next one in 2024 (just a few short months away!), is that we can educate and empower more girls and combat the astronomically high number of adolescent girls and teenagers targeted by sexual violence and domestic abuse in El Salvador.
⚠️ We ask that you please not share this video on social media platforms or replicate the contents in any way.
Arise and Shine 2023- Our first girls conference helping to empower and educate young girls. Through this conference, we are combating the numbers of adolescent girls and teenagers targeted by sexual violence, kidnappings, disappearances, and domestic abuse in El Salvador.
Please Note: Video and Link is not available to be viewed through Salvador’s HOPE Website due to privacy.
- According to the government, about 38 percent of Salvadoran girls between the ages of 10 and 12 in 2012 said they have been forced to have sex, often by members of their family or household (Aljazeera, 2019).
- It is estimated that pregnancies in girls aged 10 to 14 increased by nearly 80 percent during lockdown periods. The rates of sexual abuse increased during the pandemic as a result of young girls being more confined to their homes and unable to escape unwanted sexual attention from relatives and other aggressors (VICE, 2020).
Arise and Shine, March 2024!
Arise and Shine 2024 is shaping up to be another significant conference, as we are expecting to see double the number of girls attend!
We would love to cater for them all and ask that as you watch this video, you consider making a donation toward our Women of Hope program for Arise and Shine 2024 - we want to reach more girls with a message of hope and freedom from abuse and violence.
All donations of $2 or more are Tax deductible
Also, look for our February fundraiser. All funds raised will go toward the girls' registrations to attend this impactful conference.
Thank you for your partnership in this vital work- we could not do it without you!
Salvador’s HOPE
