Mission, Vision & Core Pillars

Our Vision

GLOWA aims to create safe communities where children can thrive to their fullest potential, free from exploitation.

Our Mission

Our mission is to create safe spaces for child exploitation survivors to learn, flourish, and grow. Through survivor-driven, survivor-informed, and locally-led initiatives, GLOWA stands against child exploitation in Cameroon and globally. We transform survivor experiences into tools for engagement, empowering communities through education, training, and sustainable interventions.

Our Core Pillars

Survivor-centered

Survivor recovery goes beyond basic short-term interventions like food and shelter. While these are crucial in the early days of rescue, genuine transformation requires comprehensive care that builds trust and fosters real change. This includes long-term support such as counseling, education, vocational training, and mentorship. Unfortunately, this level of care is often under-funded and under-appreciated because it is difficult to measure success with traditional indicators. However, by focusing on a survivor-centered approach, we provide the holistic support necessary for survivors to heal, regain independence, and thrive. This comprehensive care empowers survivors to reclaim their lives and futures with dignity and respect because in Cameroon, 3.93 million people (including 2.14 million children, 969,000 women and 587,000 people with disabilities) urgently require humanitarian assistance. Their needs are created by armed conflict, intercommunal violence, the influx of refugees from neighbouring countries, disease outbreaks including cholera and measles and seasonal flooding. Increased security incidents and violence hamper humanitarian access and the ability to reach affected populations with life-saving interventions.

Survivor-led

As survivors, we form a community of individuals with lived experiences who have been empowered to use our personal journeys to offer meaningful support to potential victims. Our firsthand knowledge enables us to help others recognize and manage recruitment scams and to identify and address the systemic issues that put people in our communities at risk. This local connection fosters a sense of ownership and enhances community participation, ensuring that our efforts are rooted in genuine understanding and trust. By leading these initiatives, we bring a unique perspective and credibility that can drive more effective and sustainable change.

Community Engagement

Our primary strategy to reduce child and youth exploitation involves community engagement, outsmarting traffickers, and empowering potential victims to recognize and manage recruitment scams. Survivors use their experiences and stories to serve their communities, giving back in meaningful ways. This approach helps prevent exploitation and challenges myths that hinder the reintegration of sexually abused children and young women. By sharing their journeys, survivors break down stigmas and foster a more supportive environment. Through community engagement, we address the root causes of exploitation rather than just its symptoms. By focusing on education, awareness, and local involvement, we create proactive defenses against exploitation and build stronger, more resilient communities.

Economic Empowerment and Wealth Creation

Economic empowerment through skills training in sewing, embroidery, hairdressing, and shoemaking helps break the cycle of poverty for many survivors. These skills offer financial stability and independence, reducing the risk of re-victimization and exploitation. Our programs address secondary exploitation and long-term vulnerabilities by equipping survivors with practical skills for sustainable livelihoods. Additionally, we involve them in value chain activities within the informal economy, such as small-scale farming, craft production, and market trading, broadening their opportunities for wealth creation.

Financial Education and Entrepreneurship

Our Survivors Micro Credit Scheme addresses the funding gap often left by traditional microfinance policies, providing crucial financial support to survivors. This initiative promotes the acquisition of essential financial management skills, enabling effective business growth and sustainable economic independence. Through this program, participants gain hands-on experience in managing finances and running small enterprises. It offers a practical learning opportunity where survivors can apply financial principles in real-world scenarios, enhancing their entrepreneurial abilities. By fostering financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills, we empower survivors to build stable, self-sufficient futures and contribute positively to their communities.

Counseling Psychosocial Support and Referrals

Counseling, Psychosocial Support, and Referrals are pivotal components aimed at enhancing emotional well-being. Key activities include personalized one-on-one sessions and group support, fostering trauma healing, promoting social cohesion, and addressing mental health concerns. Recognizing the complexity of these needs, referrals facilitate collaborative efforts among service providers, ensuring comprehensive care tailored to the specific needs and best interests of program participants.

Survivors Academic Rescue Fund

A major driver of child exploitation is the inability of children with limited parental care and those from very poor backgrounds to access formal education, especially at the post-primary level. To address this, our organization provides full and partial academic scholarships and support schemes, which are essential preventive measures against exploitation and more cost-effective than rehabilitating survivors of abuse. We achieve this through strong partnerships with educational institutions, ensuring that our scholars can enroll in and stay in school. By providing these opportunities, we help children pursue their education and achieve their dreams, breaking the cycle of poverty and vulnerability. Our efforts aim to create a safer and brighter future for these young children.

Transitional Shelter and Child Safe Space

Our Transitional Shelter and Child Safe Space program provides both community-based and in-house shelters to ensure the safety and emotional stability of rescued victims. Safe and adequate shelter is crucial during the early days of freedom, often extending up to six months post-rescue. These shelters play a vital role in offering a secure environment that fosters trauma healing and supports the mental health of survivors. By providing a safe haven, our shelters help survivors regain a sense of security and stability, essential for their recovery. Within these nurturing spaces, survivors receive physical protection and access to emotional and psychological support services, aiding in their healing and rebuilding their lives. Our commitment to creating safe spaces ensures each survivor has the opportunity to recover in a supportive and caring environment, laying the foundation for a hopeful and empowered future.

FollowCare and Community Engagement

Our Transitional Separation Support program provides personalized business planning, investment capital, and pro-bono mentorship from successful professionals to help abuse survivors achieve financial stability in Cameroon’s informal sector. We assist participants in developing sustainable business models and provide the necessary financial resources to start their ventures. Pro-bono mentorship offers guidance and builds confidence in the business world. This support framework empowers survivors to succeed, fostering economic independence and long-term success, helping them build a better future.