“I am finding out how to be myself again.”

Your donations support our project partner, Nonceba. They provide women and their children who are fleeing domestic violence a safe haven of holistic services and support. The centre is a sanctuary which offers therapeutic counselling, mental health support, community and schools programmes, jobs skills, after-school programme, legal advice and much more. Find out how it helped Nwabisa.

“The journey to Nonceba for me, my two-year-old boy, and my baby, began because the father of my children made my life hell. He kicked me while I was pregnant because he didn’t want another baby. He chased other women and became so aggressive I ended up in ICU covered in tubes. I was traumatised and unsure if I, or my baby, would survive. After treatment at three different hospitals, I finally started to recover physically. But I was still terrified, and I had nowhere to go.

Luckily for me the hospital manager was kind and she made sure I was able to access a safe house. From there I was sent to Nonceba. This is where my emotional healing started. I am so grateful to the Centre for letting me live here. The safety it gives me means I am now finding out how to be myself again.
With support from all the women here, I am learning that we are all human, we all have a past and sometimes we don’t realise that others will hurt us. The women at Nonceba are teaching me how to be safe. I love the roles and routines that keep me busy and keep me going. I won’t forget the past, but now I know I will move on to a better life with different people in it.

Before this, I was an achiever, a professional waitress for 16 years, and I loved working. Once again, I am excited for my future. I have big ideas and visions. Before I do something I always write it down first – I don’t write the date of when I am going to do it, but writing it down means I will do it. Right now, I am planning to get my own place.

I will now always be careful of the people that I trust, and who I allow into my life because I know I must be very sure that the people who are in my life, walking with me, deserve my trust.”