By Seedy Jobe
The Paradise Foundation Initiative (PFI) has launched the Kepar Support Group, a community-based initiative designed to provide a safe and supportive environment for women and girls to share their experiences, seek guidance, and access emotional and psychosocial support.
The initiative was unveiled over the weekend during a Mother-Daughter Bantaba held at the SOS Head Office in Bakoteh. The event brought together mothers, daughters, community stakeholders, and advocates to discuss family relationships, emotional well-being, and the importance of creating stronger support systems for women and girls.
Speaking at the launch, PFI Chief Executive Officer Aisha Baldeh said the initiative was established in response to growing concerns about strained relationships between young women and their parents, particularly their mothers.
Ms. Baldeh explained that the organization had received an increasing number of distress calls through the National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Helpline, 1313, from girls and young women struggling with difficult family relationships.
According to her, some callers reported experiencing emotional trauma stemming from conflicts at home, highlighting the need for accessible and confidential spaces where young women can discuss their experiences without fear of judgment or rejection.
She also recounted a troubling case involving a young girl who was allegedly subjected to an attempted rape by a close family member but was reportedly instructed by her mother to remain silent about the incident.
Ms. Baldeh said such experiences underscored the vulnerability of girls who lack supportive family environments and the importance of ensuring that survivors of abuse have access to trusted individuals and appropriate assistance.
She emphasized that girls and young women should feel safe seeking help, particularly when confronted with abuse, emotional distress, or difficult family circumstances.
In response to these concerns, PFI, working with its Ask Bajen advocates, established the Kepar Support Group to encourage open communication, strengthen relationships between mothers and daughters and promote greater understanding within families.
The initiative seeks to create a supportive network where women and girls can openly discuss sensitive issues, receive guidance, and develop healthier approaches to resolving family conflicts.
Building on the organization’s existing Women’s Bantaba and Girls Circle programmes, the Kepar Support Group will provide a platform for continued dialogue, peer support, and community engagement.
The sessions will be facilitated by Bajens and social workers, who will offer guidance, promote mental well-being, and help participants navigate personal and family-related challenges.
PFI also hopes the initiative will strengthen connections among women and encourage mothers to become more responsive to the emotional and psychological needs of their daughters.
Through the Kepar Support Group and the National GBV Helpline 1313, the organization is encouraging women and girls to seek assistance when faced with difficult circumstances rather than suffering in silence.
The initiative also aims to address situations in which girls and young women feel compelled to leave their family homes because of unresolved conflicts or a lack of emotional support.
By fostering trust, communication and mutual understanding, PFI hopes to create stronger family relationships while ensuring that women and girls facing abuse, emotional distress or other challenges have access to the support and guidance they need.
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