Shakti Refuge Appeal Month 2018

Shakti’s Refuges in Aotearoa New Zealand play an important role in the fight to stop family violence. Women, youth and children need a safe place to stay after leaving abusive relationships or family environments. The decision for many migrant and refugee women to leave their abusers can be much harder than the mainstream population as there are often language barriers, stigma and shame, as well as less family and social support after leaving. This is why Shakti specialises in providing culturally specific services to migrant women, youth and children to address these additional barriers and issues.

Shakti has five refuges nationally, two in Auckland, one in Tauranga, one in Wellington and one in Christchurch. Our Wellington refuge currently receives no contracted government funding. While the other refuges receive some government support, we provide services to more women, youth and children than what we are contracted to service. On top of this, our youth unit receives no funding from the government. This leaves our refuges and centres stretched for resources.

Please give generously to Shakti so we can continue to provide culturally specialised services to migrant women, youth and children escaping family violence.