22/02/2026
In Kahda District, a quiet but powerful transformation is unfolding.
At just 19 years old, Saido’s world changed after she survived a violent assault. Overwhelmed by trauma, she withdrew into silence. She could not sleep, speak, or connect with those around her. “I felt like I was drowning,” she recalls.
Healing began the day she walked into the NoFYL Women and Girls Safe Space, funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, with support from UNFPA. Welcomed by a trained counselor, Saido found something she had been missing: a safe place to exist without judgment. No pressure. No expectations. Just someone who listened.
Through counseling, group therapy, and life skills sessions, she slowly began to rediscover her voice. Creative therapy and peer support helped her feel seen, valued, and understood. “Before, I used to avoid people. Now, I lead discussions,” she says with a smile.
Today, Saido volunteers at the Safe Space, mentoring younger girls and encouraging survivors to speak out. What was once a place of refuge has become a place of purpose.
Since opening, the Safe Space in Kahda has supported hundreds of women and girls affected by violence, offering psychosocial support, empowerment programs, dignity, and hope.
“They didn’t just help me recover,” Saido says. “They helped me feel human again.”
Her journey reminds us that healing begins with being seen and heard. In communities where many suffer in silence, safe spaces provide a lifeline, a chance to breathe, rebuild, and rise.
