The Bridge2Hope
Moving on following a life of abuse and exploitation
Joyce from Nigeria was 14 years old when she was abducted to Europe. Her life became hell. She was raped, abused and couldn’t go anywhere with no money or papers. She is now 36. Thanks to TheBridge2Hope, she has her future ahead of her.
The victims of human traffickers are often deprived of the proper help. They barely know their way around all the legal, social or medical facilities available in our country. Moreover, the trust they have is deeply damaged. As a result, they make themselves invisible and do not have the courage to allow anyone into their lives.
Humane existence
The academy TheBridge2Hope is especially committed to helping people like Joyce rebuild a dignified life. This is achieved through a counselling programme that has proven to be effective. It is run by permanent volunteers along with a psychologist who specialises in trauma treatment. In parallel, former participants support new participants. In this way, they find plenty of mutual support.
Self-confidence restored
Each year the programme can accommodate 30 participants. With the help of the Academy, their self-esteem is gradually increased. They stop feeling like victims and instead become survivors. They take back control. They feel more confident and their self-esteem grows. They are able to speak the Dutch language. They know they’ll have a job or residence permit in the future- or receive support in their efforts to return home.