Mrs Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, the Executive Director of the Ark Shelter Foundation, has called for individual and institutional support to keep the shelter in operation to provide the needed assistance for victims of domestic violence.

She said the Ark Shelter was the only functional shelter for domestic abuse victims, both women and children in the country, and since it’s closing, it has been a huge challenge to protect and reintegrate women and children who are victims of domestic violence

Mrs Dwamena-Aboagye called for the support at the official reopening of the Ark Shelter on Thursday.

The Ark Shelter established in the 90’s to cater for needs of battered women and children in December 2016 closed its doors after 17 years of operation due to lack of funding.

She said currently in Ghana, there was no domestic abuse shelter in operation, resulting in women and children who are victims of domestic violence having to stay in their places of abuse at the peril of their lives hence, the need for the reopen.

There was the need for society to understand that victims of domestic violence are human and that there was the need to ensure that such women and their children were safe, she added.

“We would be grateful if you can support this campaign by donating to meet the needs of the shelter occupants. Any donation will be very much appreciated,” she stated.

Mrs Dwamena-Aboagye urged women and girls not to condone any form violence against them but rather report to allow perpetrators to be brought to book.

Mr Adolf Awuku Bekoe, the Supervising Clinical Psychologist of the Foundation, said the reopening of the Shelter would provide refuge and a safe place for victims to reconnect to themselves.

He said the Shelter gives victims medical support; resettlement support, legal assistance, and psychological counselling to enable survivors get the sense of wholeness.

“We provide medical needs, entrepreneur training, carpentry training and makes sure that before a victim leaves the shelter, he or she can leave as an integrated person”, he added.

Mr Bekoe said the importance of the Shelter could not be over-emphasized and therefore the need for all to support it.

Ms Afia Appiah, the Campaign Manager of the Foundation, expressed gratitude to all who assisted in the reopening and urged them to keep the shelter open.

She said there was the need to keep the shelter open forever and called on Ghanaians and corporate organizations to donate to the Foundation through mobile money on 0243-777-773 or in their Ecobank account.

Ms Appiah said people could as well sign up to make monthly donations by visiting www.arksheltercompaign.org to keep the shelter open.

A survivor told her story of how she suffered from abuse by her father but with the help of the shelter was able to overcome her challenges.