Ignite long-lasting change in communities

Women Will Renew

Zimbabwe, SCORE Against Poverty

This 15-minute film follows two community leaders who hold a powerful vision of finding solutions to problems that involve both climate change and gender inequity in Mwenezi District, Zimbabwe.

Now I'm proud of myself, I'm confident

Zimbabwe, Sandra Jones Centre

Sandra Jones Centre is a partner of MCC in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The centre offers care and training, helping young women gain a stronger sense of their own worth and new possibilities for the future. Read more about MCC's work with Sandra Jones Centre here.

Finding My Voice

"I feel like I owe my life to this program and certainly would want anyone who needs it to know of it."

Laurie, British Columbia, Co-Facilitator of MCC BC End Abuse Support Groups
 

Laurie had been married for 17 years and had a son. While the marriage started out fine, it soon became difficult. There would be a sudden explosion of anger from her husband, followed by an apology. She believed each time that the problem was over, yet the explosions continued, increasing in frequency.

Abuse in various forms showed up more and more frequently in Laurie's life. She heard about the MCC BC End Abuse program through a friend, leading her to realize that what she had been experiencing was indeed abuse, and she found the courage to seek help.

It took Laurie a few months to make the phone call, but she overcame her fears and joined an End Abuse women's support group. Laurie finally decided to attend the group because her marriage had ended due to the abuse.

Laurie realized that this support group marked the start of her journey. After finishing the course, she wanted to stick around and learn more, so she decided to train to become a support group facilitator. She wanted to help other women going through tough times.

Laurie shares, "It's important vital work. I'm glad it was here for me. I came as a participant to your 10 years ago and so even after I was a participant, I wanted to come back and just be around the women who mentored me, strong women. So I took the facilitator training and thought, well, I understand the journey of the participants so I can be one of the facilitators in the room."

Not all of the facilitators have experienced abuse. Some of them have wonderful, decades-long marriages. Some facilitators have never been married. Some are divorced, whether due to the abuse or not.

"There's a range of life experiences, but what all the women bring is an ability to be reflective and compassionate. I've been co-facilitating for about six years, working alongside the women who had mentored me... what gift that is, and I am so grateful to still be amongst them. And I feel like I owe my life to this program and certainly would want anyone who needs it to know of it."

If you or someone you know could benefit from End Abuse support groups, please contact the MCC BC End Abuse program by email (endabuse@mccbc.ca) or by calling our office (604-850-6639).