Casamance center offers refuge and rebuilding for girls facing violence
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In Ziguinchor, Senegal, the Kullimaaroo center provides shelter and support to young girls who have experienced violence.
The Platform of Women for Peace in Casamance created the center in 2015 with support from UN Women to help girls regain their dignity and rejoin society. Local organizations, community leaders, and even former beneficiaries identify girls in need and direct them to Kullimaaroo. The center offers more than just temporary housing.
Staff members help the girls return to school, receive job training, and start income-generating activities so they can become financially independent. UN Women has supported Kullimaaroo for nearly ten years, providing funding, supplies, and expertise to strengthen its programs. Despite its success, the center relies heavily on donations and seeks financial independence to ensure its long-term sustainability.
Sira Corréa, the director, explained that the center often lacks the funds to support all the women who request seed money for new businesses. However, Kullimaaroo continues to embody a vision of a Casamance where women become agents of peace and development, with each girl’s successful reintegration strengthening social cohesion.
