From Survivor to Changemaker: The Mission of Solange Rising Star
Every movement for justice begins with a story but it is sustained by purpose, resilience, and action.
Solange was born in Munyenge village in the Southwest region of Cameroon, where her parents worked as cocoa farmers. Her early life was shaped by hardship, violence, and silence. At the age of 14, she was raped. At 16, she experienced another act of sexual violence, including abuse linked to individuals within her wider community environment.
For years, she carried these experiences alone in a society where survivors are often silenced rather than supported.
Yet her story did not end there.
Through education, determination, and creative expression, Solange began rebuilding her life. What once brought pain gradually transformed into purpose.
Today, she is the Founder of Solange Rising Star (SRS) a survivor-led organisation committed to ensuring that sexual violence becomes a reality of the past, not a lived experience of the present.
A Journey of Survival, Healing, and Purpose
Solange’s journey reflects both personal trauma and systemic realities faced by many survivors.
She witnessed domestic violence within her home, experienced betrayal and manipulation in her community, and faced repeated violations that were later followed by stigma and isolation. Instead of receiving protection, she encountered silence.
Yet through education and resilience, she chose a different path—one of healing, leadership, and advocacy.
Creative arts, music, and storytelling became tools of survival and expression. Inspired by platforms such as America’s Got Talent and The Voice Nigeria, she began to see performance and storytelling not only as art, but as advocacy.
Founding Solange Rising Star
In 2022, Solange founded Solange Rising Star with a clear mission:
to prevent gender-based violence and empower survivors through creative expression, education, and community engagement.
Her journey to Kanthari – Institute for Social Change Leaders in India further strengthened this vision. There, she refined her leadership approach and developed the organisation’s flagship model: Kacherkatan, meaning butterfly in Bayangi.
The butterfly represents transformation—from pain to healing, from silence to voice, from survival to leadership.
At the heart of SRS is a survivor-led philosophy:
those who have experienced violence are not only recipients of support, but leaders in designing solutions.
Kacherkatan: A Model for Transformation
Kacherkatan is a holistic programme designed to address both the causes and consequences of sexual violence, particularly in rural and conflict-affected communities in Cameroon.
It focuses on:
- Community education and prevention
- Survivor empowerment and psychosocial support
- Leadership development and advocacy
- Creative arts as healing and expression
- Reintegration and community dialogue
In many communities, cultural norms still protect perpetrators and silence survivors. Kacherkatan seeks to challenge these systems through education, engagement, and empowerment.
Core Programmes Under SRS
1. Survivor Support and Referral System
SRS partners with existing institutions such as hospitals, crisis centres, and trained professionals to ensure survivors receive immediate medical, legal, and psychosocial support. This strengthens, rather than duplicates, existing systems.
2. R.I.S.E. School Clubs
Respect, Inform, Support, Empower
School-based clubs that educate young people on consent, safety, peer support, and leadership to build a culture of respect and prevention.
3. S.T.A.R. Holiday Talent Programme
Support, Talent and Advocacy for Resilience
A creative platform where young people use music, drama, and art to speak against sexual violence while building confidence and awareness.
4. E.C.H.O. Programme
Empowerment, Change, Healing, Outreach
A prison-based rehabilitation and dialogue initiative focused on accountability, reflection, and behaviour change, while upholding dignity and human rights.
5. S.U.R.E. Programme
Survivor Uplift for Restoration and Empowerment
A leadership and livelihood programme integrating skills development, entrepreneurship, and eco-conscious agricultural practices for rural survivors.
6. F.L.A.S.H. Programme
Fostering Leaders Against Sexual Harm
Training community leaders to identify, prevent, and respond to sexual violence using survivor-centred and community-based approaches.
A Vision for the Future
Solange Rising Star envisions a future where survivors are not only supported but equipped to become leaders, advocates, and community changemakers.
The long-term goal is to establish a survivor leadership and training centre, where participants undergo structured programmes in advocacy, legal awareness, creative expression, and sustainable livelihood development.
Agriculture and environmental sustainability are also central to this vision, particularly in rural communities where economic empowerment is essential for long-term resilience.
Why Solange Rising Star
Solange’s leadership is grounded in lived experience, resilience, and a deep commitment to justice.
Her work is not only shaped by personal history, but by a broader vision: a world where dignity, safety, and respect are universal rights—not privileges.
Through Solange Rising Star, she is building more than an organisation. She is building a movement.
Join the Movement
Solange Rising Star invites partners, donors, institutions, and advocates to support this vision of transformation.
Together, we can ensure that sexual violence becomes not a normalized reality, but a prevented one.
Because from survival can come leadership and from pain can come lasting change.
Solange Rising Star
Unifying Voices. Ending Sexual Violence.
Breaking the Silence: Why Survivor Voices Matter in Ending Violence
In a world where silence often surrounds the realities of sexual and domestic violence, the voices of survivors hold the power to transform lives and ignite change. At Solange Rising Star, we believe that these voices are not just important—they are essential to dismantling systems of abuse and fostering a society rooted in justice, empathy, and equality.
The Power of Speaking Out
Survivors of violence often face stigma, shame, and societal pressure to remain silent. This silence perpetuates cycles of abuse, leaving victims isolated and offenders unchallenged. By sharing their stories, survivors break through these barriers, inspiring others to come forward and sparking critical conversations about the injustices they’ve endured.
When survivors speak, they shed light on the realities of abuse, challenging harmful cultural norms and exposing gaps in systems meant to protect and empower individuals. These stories foster awareness, empathy, and understanding, which are the foundation for meaningful change.
Why Survivor Voices Matter
Survivors bring unique perspectives to the fight against violence. They understand the nuances of abuse, the challenges of seeking justice, and the strength required to rebuild. By involving survivors in advocacy, education, and policymaking, we ensure that solutions are grounded in lived experience and truly address the needs of those affected.
At Solange Rising Star, survivor voices shape every aspect of our work. From our S.U.R.E. program, which uplifts survivors into leadership roles, to Kacherkatan, our flagship initiative that symbolizes transformation and resilience, we prioritize survivor-led approaches to create lasting impact.
A Call to Action
Ending violence is not the responsibility of survivors alone—it requires collective action. We must listen to and amplify survivor voices, challenge harmful behaviors, and work together to create a safe and equitable world. Imagine a society where every survivor’s story leads to a ripple of change, transforming pain into power and silence into action.
To survivors: Your voice matters. By sharing your truth, you inspire hope and pave the way for others to rise. To allies: Stand with survivors. Speak out, educate yourself, and take action in your communities. Together, we can break the silence and end the violence.
Join the Movement
At Solange Rising Star, we are building a global network of survivors and advocates committed to this mission. Through innovative programs and collective efforts, we aim to transform lives and create a future free from violence. Join us in amplifying survivor voices and saying, “Enough is enough.”
Together, we can make a difference.
Season’s Greetings from Solange Rising Stars 🌟
As we celebrate the joy and warmth of this festive season, we at Solange Rising Stars extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our sponsors, beneficiaries, and everyone who shares our mission of supporting survivors and advocating against sexual and domestic violence.
Your unwavering support and commitment inspire us to continue turning pain into power and building a world free from violence. Together, we are empowering survivors, creating safe spaces, and fostering hope for a brighter future.
Christmas Message:
May this season of love and giving bring peace, healing, and joy to you and your loved ones. Let’s continue to light the way for survivors, transforming challenges into opportunities for change.
New Year’s Message:
As we step into 2025, we look forward to new beginnings, stronger partnerships, and impactful actions. Join us in making the coming year one of empowerment, advocacy, and transformation. Together, we will soar higher as Rising Stars!
Become a part of our mission! Support survivors and advocate for justice.
📩 Reach us at info@solangerisingstar.org
🌐 Follow our journey on http://solangerisingstar.org
Join our global survivors network group : https://chat.whatsapp.com/Kx2Ra6YPcrJGCzQ34ZWqwL
With love and gratitude,
Solange Rising Stars
“Turning pain into power, one rising star at a time.”
We are unifying voices ,ending sexual violence.
Breaking the Silence: A Call to Action Against Sexual and Domestic Violence
Ending sexual and domestic violence requires more than awareness—it requires coordinated action, strong institutions, and committed individuals working together to protect survivors and prevent harm.
Recently, I had the opportunity to engage with the Delegate of Social Affairs in Meme Division, a dedicated public servant working tirelessly under significant workload and resource constraints to address the many social challenges affecting our communities.
Our discussion highlighted the scale of these challenges, including family conflict, domestic violence, sexual violence, substance abuse, theft, and other forms of social disruption that continue to affect individuals and households across the region.
Despite these challenges, one message remained clear: collaboration between government institutions, civil society, and community actors is essential if we are to create lasting change.
Strengthening
Collective Response
A key focus of our conversation was the importance of coordinated survivor support systems and referral pathways. We also reflected on the E.C.H.O. Prison Rehabilitation Programme, which demonstrates the potential of structured, multi-sector collaboration in addressing cycles of violence and supporting reintegration and accountability.
With stronger coordination between government services and community-based organisations, survivors can access protection, legal support, psychosocial care, and long-term empowerment more effectively.
Our Mission
At Solange Rising Star, we are committed to:
- Supporting survivors of sexual and domestic violence
- Advocating for access to justice, health care, and psychosocial support
- Promoting survivor healing, leadership, and empowerment
- Strengthening prevention through community education and engagement
We believe that survivors deserve not only protection, but also dignity, voice, and opportunities to rebuild their lives.
A Call to Collective Action
Ending violence is a shared responsibility. Every individual has a role to play in building safer communities.
We call on communities, partners, and stakeholders to:
- Report cases of sexual and domestic violence to appropriate services
- Show empathy and non-judgmental support to survivors
- Encourage access to professional counselling and legal assistance
- Support organisations working on prevention and survivor care
Silence allows violence to continue. Action creates change.
Join Us
Whether you are a survivor, supporter, funder, or advocate, your involvement matters.
Together, we can strengthen systems of protection, expand access to justice, and build communities where survivors are supported to heal and thrive.
📞 Contact: +237 681 059 384
Solange Rising Star
Unifying Voices. Ending Sexual Violence.
Igniting Change: Our Volunteer Team is Ready to Lead the Fight Against Violence
Unifying Voices. Ending Sexual Violence.
At Solange Rising Star (SRS), we believe that lasting impact begins with a strong, well-prepared, and values-driven team. We are proud to share that our volunteer team has successfully completed an intensive training programme designed to align them with our mission, vision, and core philosophy of survivor empowerment and violence prevention.
Building a Strong Foundation for Impact
The training was designed to strengthen both personal capacity and organisational identity. Key areas included:
Core Values and Ethics
Our team explored the principles of unity, resilience, justice, and empowerment, ensuring these values guide every interaction with survivors, communities, and partners.
Brand Identity and Representation
Volunteers were introduced to the visual and communication identity of SRS, including messaging tone, advocacy style, and responsible representation across community and digital platforms.
Communication and Advocacy Skills
We strengthened capacities in verbal and non-verbal communication, professional writing, community engagement, and survivor-centred advocacy.
Visual Storytelling for Impact
Recognising the importance of documentation, the team received basic training in field photography and storytelling to ethically capture and communicate community impact. This also highlighted the need for improved equipment to enhance documentation quality.
Team Alignment and Collaboration
Through reflective exercises, volunteers explored personal values, teamwork dynamics, and conflict management strategies, strengthening trust, collaboration, and shared responsibility.
A Team Rooted in Care and Professional Experience
Our volunteer team includes three passionate women alongside our Programme Coordinator and Founder. All team members come from medical and social care backgrounds, including assistant nursing and state-registered nursing.
Their experience brings a strong foundation in ethics, confidentiality, care, and community service—values that are essential in working with survivors of sexual and domestic violence.
Ready for Community Impact
With this training completed, our team is now fully equipped to support the implementation of SRS programmes across communities. Their role includes:
- Community sensitisation and awareness campaigns
- Survivor support and referral coordination
- School-based prevention programmes
- Data collection and impact documentation
- Advocacy for gender-based violence prevention
This marks an important step in strengthening our capacity to respond effectively and consistently to sexual and domestic violence in the communities we serve.
Looking Ahead
As we expand our reach, we remain committed to building a professional, ethical, and compassionate team that reflects the values of Solange Rising Star.
We invite partners, supporters, and institutions to walk this journey with us. Your support strengthens our ability to train more volunteers, reach more communities, and provide timely support to survivors.
Together, we are building a movement rooted in unity, resilience, and empowerment.
Solange Rising Star
Unifying Voices. Ending Sexual Violence.
From Changemaker to Eco-Warrior: My Kanthari Journey Towards Sustainable Impact
True transformation begins when learning changes not only what you know but how you live.
My experience at the Kanthari Institute for Changemakers in India was more than training. It was a deep shift in mindset, where sustainability was not taught as a concept, but lived as a daily practice.
Kanthari’s eco-friendly campus reflects this philosophy. Built with sustainability at its core, every space demonstrates how innovation and environmental responsibility can coexist. This environment shaped the way I now see the world—not as something to be consumed, but something to be protected.
A Shift in Mindset
Before Kanthari, I understood environmental protection as an external responsibility. After Kanthari, it became personal.
Through sessions on climate change, sustainable design, and environmental justice, I began to see how every action—no matter how small—affects the ecosystem. Exposure to eco-conscious design approaches and real-world practitioners deepened this understanding and challenged me to rethink how I structure community work in Cameroon.
But the most powerful lessons were not always in classrooms.
A Lesson on a Bus in Cameroon
Shortly after returning home, I experienced a moment that stayed with me.
While travelling from Mile 17 Park in Buea to Kumba, I bought a local meal wrapped in plastic. After finishing, I carefully kept the wrapper in my bag instead of disposing of it on the ground.
An 18-year-old girl sitting beside me reacted with surprise:
“Why are you keeping that? Just throw it away like everyone else.”
When I explained that I had been trained to respect the environment, she laughed and pointed out the plastic already scattered everywhere.
That moment revealed something important: environmental change is not only about systems—it is about mindset. Even when change feels small, it begins with individual responsibility and consistency.
From Learning to Action
Today, sustainability is fully integrated into my work at Solange Rising Star.
In our R.I.S.E. School Clubs, we combine violence prevention education with environmental awareness, teaching students about respect, consent, hygiene, and responsible waste management.
Through our survivor empowerment programmes, we also support rural livelihoods such as cassava farming, using eco-friendly practices that avoid chemical fertilizers and harmful land clearing methods, helping protect soil health and biodiversity.
For us, environmental protection and social protection are connected. A safe community is also a healthy environment.
A Commitment to the Future
Kanthari did not just train me it reshaped my responsibility as a leader.
Today, I see environmental sustainability as part of justice work. Protecting people and protecting the planet are not separate goals; they reinforce each other.
I remain committed to integrating eco-conscious practices into every Solange Rising Star initiative and to encouraging young people to see themselves as both changemakers and environmental stewards.
Call to Action
We invite donors, environmental advocates, institutions, and government partners to support this integrated approach to social and environmental change.
Together, we can build communities where:
- Survivors are empowered
- Youth are educated
- And the environment is protected
Because a truly safe future is also a sustainable one.
Raising a Generation That Chooses Respect: Launching the R.I.S.E. Programme
Ending sexual violence begins long before a crime is committed. It begins with education, respectful relationships, and young people who understand the power of consent.
On 12 February 2025, Solange Rising Star (SRS), in partnership with Zion Health Foundation (ZHF), officially launched the R.I.S.E. Programme—Respect, Inform, Support, and Empower—at Living Water Comprehensive College in Kumba.
The programme brought together more than 400 students for an interactive learning experience designed to equip young people with the knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills needed to prevent gender-based violence and promote healthy relationships.
Creating Safe Spaces for Honest Conversations
Throughout the day, students explored topics that are rarely discussed openly but are essential for building safer communities. Sessions focused on:
- Understanding gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health rights.
- The importance of consent, mutual respect, and healthy relationships.
- Positive masculinity and the role of boys and young men as allies in preventing violence.
- Peer support, leadership, and speaking out against abuse.
Rather than simply delivering presentations, the programme encouraged dialogue, questions, and reflection, creating a safe environment where students could learn from one another and challenge harmful beliefs.
From Awareness to Action
One of the most inspiring outcomes of the launch was the formation of the Respect Revolution Club (RRC), the youth leadership arm of the R.I.S.E. Programme.
Students were invited to become ambassadors for respect, consent, and violence prevention within their school. Many registered immediately, while others chose to discuss the opportunity with their parents before joining—an encouraging reminder that meaningful change begins with conversation both in schools and at home.
The newly elected student leaders expressed their commitment to creating a school environment where every learner feels respected, heard, and protected.
Our Vision
The launch at Living Water Comprehensive College marks the beginning of a broader movement.
Through the R.I.S.E. Programme, Solange Rising Star aims to establish school-based clubs that empower students to become peer educators, advocates, and champions for consent, gender equality, and peaceful relationships.
By investing in young people today, we are helping build communities where violence is prevented before it begins.
Join the Movement
Creating safer schools is a shared responsibility.
Whether you are a school administrator, teacher, parent, youth leader, volunteer, or development partner, your support can help expand the R.I.S.E. Programme to more schools and communities across Cameroon.
Together, we can raise a generation that chooses respect over violence, consent over coercion, and leadership over silence.
Because ending sexual violence starts with the values we teach today.
Solange Rising Star
Unifying Voices. Ending Sexual Violence.
Breaking the Silence: Building Safer Communities in Mabanda, Kumba III
Real change begins when communities are willing to talk about what has long been hidden.
On 1 March 2025, the Solange Rising Star team visited Bafaw Quarter, Mabanda, Kumba III, to engage community leaders, senior women, and residents in an open dialogue on preventing sexual and domestic violence.
From the moment we arrived, one message became clear: the community was ready to be part of the solution.
During discussions with the Quarter Head and senior women, participants highlighted the urgent need for stronger support systems, particularly for women and girls living with disabilities, who often face increased risks of violence, discrimination, and exclusion.
As we conducted door-to-door visits, survivors and community members shared stories of abuse, stigma, rejection, and isolation. Many spoke not only about the violence they had experienced but also about the silence that too often follows it. These conversations reinforced the importance of creating trusted spaces where survivors can seek support without fear or judgment.
The information gathered during the outreach will directly inform the design of our community-based interventions, ensuring that they respond to the realities and priorities identified by the people themselves.
Through our F.L.A.S.H. Programme (Fostering Leaders Against Sexual Harm), we will equip community leaders and trusted focal persons with the knowledge and skills to prevent, identify, and respond to cases of sexual violence using survivor-centred approaches.
Our S.U.R.E. Programme (Survivors Uplift for Restoration and Empowerment) will support survivors in rebuilding their lives through leadership development, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and economic empowerment, enabling them to become agents of change within their own communities.
What Your Support Makes Possible
To expand this work, we are mobilising resources to provide:
- Safe community spaces for survivor support and training.
- Leadership manuals, educational materials, and awareness tools.
- Digital access through internet connectivity and learning resources.
- Transportation for outreach and survivor referrals.
- Micro-grants to help survivors build sustainable livelihoods.
- Community awareness campaigns promoting consent, dignity, and prevention.
Every contribution strengthens our ability to reach more communities, empower more survivors, and prevent future violence.
At Solange Rising Star, we believe that ending sexual violence begins with informed communities, empowered survivors, and leaders who refuse to remain silent.
Together, we are unifying voices to end sexual violence one community at a time.
Strengthening Our Impact Through Partnership and Learning
Every partnership is an opportunity to learn. Every conversation is an opportunity to create greater impact.
When Solange Rising Star received an invitation to participate in a humanitarian coordination meeting in Buea, we knew it was an opportunity to strengthen our work and build meaningful collaborations. Despite the short notice, we made every effort to attend, recognizing that effective community transformation depends on continuous learning and strong partnerships.
Hosted at Mountain Hotel, the meeting brought together humanitarian actors, development practitioners, government representatives, and civil society organizations to discuss the findings of a comprehensive needs assessment and identify strategies for strengthening Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions across the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon.
Although our primary focus is ending sexual and gender-based violence, the discussions quickly demonstrated how closely WASH, disability inclusion, and protection are interconnected.
One of the most valuable sessions explored disability-inclusive infrastructure in schools and health facilities, gender-responsive sanitation, and environmentally sustainable WASH solutions. These discussions resonated deeply with our work supporting survivors of sexual violence, particularly women and girls with disabilities, who often face additional barriers when accessing healthcare, protection services, and safe public spaces.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to contribute. During the group workshop sessions, I was honoured to be selected to lead one of the working groups. Together, our team developed practical recommendations aimed at strengthening inclusive humanitarian programming, demonstrating the value of collaboration and diverse perspectives in addressing complex community challenges.
This experience reaffirmed an important lesson: ending sexual violence requires more than legal and psychosocial support. It also requires safe, accessible, and inclusive environments where every individual—regardless of gender or ability—can access essential services with dignity.
As Solange Rising Star expands its programmes across Cameroon, the knowledge gained from this engagement will strengthen the design of our survivor support initiatives, community outreach activities, and future infrastructure projects. We are committed to integrating disability inclusion, gender-responsive approaches, and environmentally sustainable practices into our work wherever possible.
Partnerships like these remind us that lasting change is achieved when organisations learn from one another, share expertise, and work together toward a common goal.
At Solange Rising Star, we remain committed to building safer communities through survivor empowerment, inclusive development, and collaborative action—because protecting human dignity requires all of us.
From Survivors to Founders: How S.U.R.E. Is Raising the Next Generation of Community Leaders
What if surviving violence was not the end of someone’s story, but the beginning of their leadership journey?
At Solange Rising Star (SRS), this belief is at the heart of our S.U.R.E. Programme (Survivors Uplift for Restoration and Empowerment). We believe that every survivor possesses the strength to heal, rebuild, and become a force for change within their community.
Through our flagship Kacherkatan Programme—named after the Bayangi word for butterfly—we accompany survivors through a journey of transformation. Like a butterfly emerging after a difficult process, survivors rediscover their confidence, purpose, and leadership.
Today, we proudly celebrate a milestone that reflects this vision in action.
Two Survivors. Two Organisations. One Shared Mission of Hope.
On 26 June 2025, two graduates of the Kacherkatan Programme took a remarkable step forward by launching organisations that will serve vulnerable communities across Cameroon.
🌿 Elyon Association for Life Nurturing – Buea
Founded by Bright Manyor, a survivor and medical laboratory professional, Elyon is committed to improving maternal and reproductive health while promoting safe childbirth.
Its flagship initiative, The Baobab Tree, symbolises life, strength, protection, and nurturing—creating safe spaces where women and families can thrive.
🥥 Awhellaa – Kumba
Founded by Wandie Mengwi A., a survivor and advocate for persons with visual impairments and disabilities, Awhellaa means “Who is there?” in the Bafanji language—a powerful call that reflects the voices of people too often overlooked.
Its flagship programme, The Coconut Core, reminds us that just like a coconut, people may appear strong on the outside while carrying immense value within. Through healing, inclusion, and leadership, the programme empowers survivors and persons with disabilities to transform silence into confidence and advocacy.
Building Leaders, Not Dependence
Throughout the Kacherkatan Programme, participants receive practical leadership and organisational development training, including:
- NGO registration and governance
- Leadership development
- Fundraising and proposal writing
- Storytelling, advocacy, and public speaking
- Entrepreneurship and business development
- Inclusive programming
- Health and rights-based approaches
Our goal is simple: to equip survivors not only to rebuild their own lives, but to become leaders who create opportunities for others.
Growing a National Movement
As a Kanthari alumna, I believe the greatest measure of leadership is helping others become leaders.
Together with LIMPS Enterprise Kumba, we are nurturing a growing network of survivor-led initiatives that are transforming communities across Cameroon—one leader at a time.
Today, more than 140 survivors are ready to begin this journey. Many, however, cannot participate because they lack transportation, accommodation, internet access, or basic training resources.
With your support, we can ensure that financial barriers do not prevent future leaders from emerging.
Join the Movement
When you invest in S.U.R.E., you invest in more than a training programme.
You invest in survivors becoming founders.
You invest in communities becoming safer.
You invest in leadership born from resilience.
Together, we are transforming pain into purpose, silence into leadership, and survivors into changemakers.
Because every survivor deserves the opportunity not only to heal—but to lead.
From Dust to Voice: Returning Home to Inspire Change
There are journeys that take us away from home, and there are journeys that bring us back not as the people we once were, but as the people we were meant to become.
For me, returning to my rural community after twelve years was one of those journeys.
The village is nearly 98 kilometres from the city where I now live. As I walked through familiar paths, memories of my childhood resurfaced. It was in this community that I experienced rejection, silence, and the painful realities that shaped my journey as a survivor of sexual violence.
This time, however, I did not return carrying pain.
I returned carrying purpose.
As I met with community leaders, notables, parents, women, and young people, we spoke openly about protecting girls, promoting consent, and defending the rights of women and children. Together, we reflected on the consequences of silence and the responsibility every community has to prevent sexual violence before it happens.
While walking through the village, I also met many young girls between the ages of 14 and 21 already caring for babies. Their stories were different, but they shared a common message: too many girls are growing up without the protection, opportunities, and information they deserve.
Those moments strengthened my conviction that change begins with community conversations.
At Solange Rising Star, this belief is reflected in our Kacherkatan Programme a name inspired by the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Just as a caterpillar undergoes remarkable change before taking flight, we believe survivors can heal, rediscover their strength, and become leaders who transform their communities.
My journey has taught me that our past does not have to define our future.
From silence, we can find our voice.
From pain, we can inspire hope.
From surviving, we can lead.
Today, Solange Rising Star continues to work alongside communities to end sexual violence by promoting survivor leadership, consent education, community accountability, and the empowerment of women and girls.
The road ahead is long, but every conversation, every village visit, and every life transformed brings us one step closer to a future where every child grows up safe, respected, and free.
Join the Movement
Change begins with people who believe a different future is possible.
Whether you are a community member, partner, volunteer, or donor, your support helps us reach more rural communities with education, survivor support, and violence prevention programmes.
Together, we are unifying voices to end sexual violence.
The Best Time to Prevent Sexual Violence Is Before It Happens
Every child deserves to grow up knowing the value of consent, respect, and healthy relationships. Prevention begins with education, not after a crime has already been committed.
My heart beats for a Cameroon where children grow up free from the fear of sexual violence and equipped with the knowledge to protect themselves and respect the rights of others.
That conviction became even stronger during our rehabilitation programme inside prison. While working with men convicted of sexual offences, I saw a pattern that cannot be ignored. Many had grown up without conversations about consent, healthy relationships, gender equality, or the legal consequences of sexual violence. Their actions remain their responsibility, but their stories revealed how silence, misinformation, and harmful social norms can contribute to violence.
That experience changed the way I think about prevention.
If we want to end sexual violence, we must begin long before a crime occurs.
Recently, our team visited Mukete Camp, where community leaders called for support in protecting children. We met boys and girls full of dreams and potential. Together with local leaders, we identified trusted focal persons who will be trained to respond to sexual violence cases with confidentiality, compassion, and professionalism while ensuring survivors are referred to appropriate services.
We also engaged children in conversations about personal safety, consent, recognising unsafe situations, speaking up, and where to seek help.
This is how lasting change begins—not only by responding to violence, but by preventing it.
At Solange Rising Star, we believe that informed children become empowered adults, strong communities prevent violence, and education is one of the most powerful tools for protecting future generations.
Every outreach session brings us one step closer to the Cameroon we envision: a nation where every child grows up safe, respected, and free from sexual violence.
Join us. Together, we are unifying voices to end sexual violence.
Can Those Who Cause Harm Become Part of the Solution?
The story behind one of Africa’s boldest approaches to ending sexual violence.
For generations, the response to sexual violence has focused on two groups: survivors seeking justice and perpetrators serving prison sentences. But one critical question has often been left unanswered:
What happens when perpetrators return to our communities?
As a survivor of sexual violence and the Founder of Solange Rising Star, this question has stayed with me for years. While studying Social Leadership at Kanthari in India, I realized that preventing future violence requires more than supporting survivors—it also requires addressing the attitudes and behaviours that lead people to offend.
That realization gave birth to the E.C.H.O. Programme (Empowerment, Change, Healing Outreach).
From an Idea to Reality
The vision was ambitious: develop a structured rehabilitation programme for perpetrators of sexual violence nearing release from prison while strengthening survivor support and community safety.
Many people questioned the idea.
Could perpetrators genuinely change?
Would survivors ever support such an approach?
Could rehabilitation reduce future violence?
Rather than relying on assumptions, we developed a one-year curriculum grounded in accountability, empathy, human rights, behaviour change, and restorative leadership.
Before entering the prison, our team underwent intensive preparation with a psychologist and a human rights expert. These sessions challenged us emotionally while equipping us with the skills needed to engage in one of the most difficult forms of violence prevention.
Breaking New Ground
With authorization from the Superintendent of Kumba Principal Prison, the E.C.H.O. Programme became a reality.
More than 20 incarcerated perpetrators enrolled in the programme, but rehabilitation was never automatic. Participation alone was not enough.
Only participants who consistently demonstrated genuine accountability, behavioural change, and commitment throughout the programme were eligible for graduation.
Our goal was never simply to complete a training course.
Our goal was to reduce future harm.
A Safer Community Begins Before Release
Today, graduates continue their transformation through the SURECHO Empowerment Hub, where they learn alongside survivors, internally displaced persons, women, and vulnerable youth.
Together they receive entrepreneurship training, leadership development, advocacy skills, vocational education, and environmental conservation training through plastic upcycling and tree planting.
This model is built on one simple belief:
Communities become safer when survivors are empowered, perpetrators are held accountable and rehabilitated, and cycles of violence are intentionally broken.
Join the Movement
The E.C.H.O. Programme would not have been possible without the trust and collaboration of our partners, including Kanthari, Changemakers, Haëlla Stichting Foundation, Kumba Principal Prison, and government institutions.
This journey is only beginning.
By investing in survivor support, offender rehabilitation, and community education, we are building a future where fewer people become victims because fewer people choose to offend.
Together, we can replace cycles of violence with cycles of accountability, healing, and hope.
Support our work
🌍 Website: www.solangerisingstar.org
📱 Mobile Money: 680 875 309 (Name: Ndip)
Solange Rising Star – Unifying Voices. Ending Sexual Violence.
Bringing Back Balance: Growing Food and Restoring Nature Together
I grew up in a rural place where we studied under trees and walked through green fields full of fruits and vegetables that kept our families strong. Back then, everything grew without chemicals. The land was healthy, and our environment was in balance.
But today, too many chemicals are used in farming. This is harming our soil, our health, and our ecosystem. Many people now only eat vegetables or fruits when doctors tell them to, and even then, we ask: Is this really organic? Is it safe?
At Solange Rising Star (SRS), we believe it is possible to bring back that lost harmony. Our work reaches 70% rural communities and 30% urban areas. We know that even in towns and cities, there is rich soil and people who want to farm in better ways. The problem is often lack of knowledge—knowing the laws, understanding ecology, and learning how to care for the soil without destroying it.
We empower survivors based on their needs. Not long ago, we helped survivors in a rural community turn their big, unused compound into a beautiful mixed farm. Now they grow vegetables, yams, and maize together. This way, they can feed themselves and fight food shortage in their homes.
With a wide understanding of ecological balance that I gained during my time at the Kanthari Campus in India, I have learned how important it is to work with nature, not against it. My journey was shaped even more by Meahl Vanam, (voice of nature) an organization run by my roommate, Maria Juliet. She is passionate about bringing back the lost ecosystem restoring reptiles, trees, birds, insects, and promoting sustainable farming.
Living with Maria for seven months, listening to her stories and teachings, and sharing debates about climate change made my love for all living things even stronger. Today, I carry this love into everything we do at SRS.
We teach communities simple but powerful methods: how to plant different crops together, rotate crops to keep the soil healthy, use compost instead of chemicals, and control pests in natural ways. We show that even small spaces can grow plenty of food if you respect the land.
In rural areas, we cannot talk about empowerment without talking about agriculture. When we grow food in ways that care for the soil, we take care of our own health and the generations to come.
Together, we can bring back what has been lost. We can grow healthy food, restore nature, and build strong communities rooted in respect for the earth and for each other.
Mini Climate Champions Workshop: Igniting Environmental Change in Young Minds
On July 30, 2025, Solange Rising Star (SRS), in partnership with QS Impact Global and Banks Premium Services, held a vibrant and educational “Mini Climate Champions Workshop: Sort It Right!” at the Kumba I Council Holiday Program for Children. The workshop brought together 86 enthusiastic children aged 4 to 16 and four dedicated teachers at the Children’s Center in Up Station, Kumba.
Led by Mr. Yilareng Lucien (QS Impact Global Day of Action 2025 Ambassador), Mme. Solange Ndip (Founder & CEO of SRS), and Mr. Bankui Aristide (Founder of Banks Premium Services), the session introduced climate change through relatable storytelling, song, and games. Children learned about the consequences of climate change—such as the disappearance of vital food crops like Colocasia (Igbo coco)—and how waste segregation and responsible environmental behavior can help prevent further damage.
One of the highlights was the Waste Segregation Game, where children sorted real items into labeled bins. The improvement between the first and second rounds clearly demonstrated learning in action. The workshop also introduced concepts of reuse, recycling, and upcycling in a fun and memorable way.
At the close of the session, participants made environmental pledges—some handwritten by those able—and pledged aloud to become protectors of the Earth. The session wrapped up with photos, videos, and plenty of smilesPhotos, This initiative falls under the global theme: “Educate the Next Generation on Climate Action.” By instilling eco-conscious values in children, we’re building a greener, more sustainable future one young climate champion at a time.
A Story of Forgiveness and Peace
ECHO Project | Saturday, August 2nd, 2025
Supported by Haëlla Stichting Foundation
On August 2nd, 2025, something important happened in a small village in Cameroon.
A young man who once caused deep pain came back to say, “I’m sorry.” Years ago, he hurt a 9-year-old girl. Now, she has grown into a teenager. And he is no longer the same person. After his time in prison, he went through our ECHO rehabilitation sessions. There, he learned to take responsibility and understand the pain he caused.
He asked us if he could go back to the village to face the family, ask for forgiveness, and try to make peace.
It was not easy. The girl’s family was angry and afraid. We understood. So we worked closely with a kind and respected health worker from the community who helped guide the process.
When the family agreed to meet, the young man spoke from his heart. He didn’t blame anyone. He didn’t make excuses. He said he was truly sorry.
The girl, now a young woman, looked at him and said,
“I forgive you.”
Tears filled many eyes. Then, the young man stood up and spoke to the youth in the village. He told them:
“Don’t ever rape. Don’t destroy someone’s life like I did. Respect others. Always ask for consent.”
People listened. Some were quiet. Some cried. But one thing was clear this village had started to heal.
The family no longer sees him as the person he was. The community now welcomes him as someone who made a mistake, faced the consequences, and has changed.
This is what peace looks like. This is why we do this work.
Thank you to Haëlla Stichting Foundation for believing in us. Your support helped make this healing possible.
📌 Note: The family did not allow us to share photos publicly. We respect that. Pictures have only been shared with our donors.
❤️ Values We Hold:
- Listen to the survivor
- Help people take responsibility
- Heal pain, not hide it
- Work together with the community
#EchoProject #Forgiveness #Peace #HealingTogether #SurvivorLed #ThankYouHaella
From Offender to Advocate: Listening Before Teaching
“What drives someone to commit a crime? And how do we turn that story into change?”
At Meme Prison, Solange Rising Star provided an inmate the rare opportunity to speak openly about his past actions related to sexual violence. No guidance, no prompts—just a chance to share his perspective.
What he revealed was eye-opening:
Upbringing & Community Influence: How parenting and the environment shape choices.
Peer Pressure & Social Influence: “Evil communication corrupts good manners,” he quoted, showing the impact of friends.
Stereotypes & Victim-Blaming: Deeply ingrained community beliefs led him to blame survivors.
Gender & Power Dynamics: He reflected on how power imbalances can shape behavior, even leading to women committing sexual offenses in some situations.
His testimony reminded us that real transformation starts with listening. Understanding mindsets, misconceptions, and societal narratives allows us to design more effective interventions.
We congratulated him for his courage—today, he is a bold advocate, contributing to our “Becoming an Advocate” curriculum. Through this program, participants learn to:
Speak out against sexual violence
Transform personal experiences into lessons for others
Build confidence to prevent harm in their communities
Key takeaway: Every story matters. Every voice can drive change. Listening before teaching is the first step toward empowerment and true rehabilitation.
Acknowledgment: Thank you, Haëlla Stichting Foundation, for giving us a second chance through Solange Rising Star.
Building Peace in the Midst of Crisis: A Call for Hope in Cameroon
Did you know that Cameroon has been facing social and political instability since October 2016, resulting in a devastating war known as the Anglophone crisis? This conflict has claimed lives, displaced countless families, and disrupted education in the Northwest and Southwest regions.
As we commemorate the International Day of Peace, we are reminded of the resilience of people and organizations working tirelessly to restore peace and unity in our nation.
My Journey in Peacebuilding
In 2023, I had the opportunity to participate in a 6-month peace program in Bamenda, organized by the Reconciliation and Development Association (RADA). This experience deepened my understanding of the crisis and strengthened my resolve to be part of the solution.
Recently, I was humbled to receive an invitation to a peace workshop organized by a consortium of 17 organizations, with the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) as a key partner.
Held at the PCC Synod Office in Buea, the workshop brought together over 100 youths, civil society actors, government representatives, and religious leaders. Together, we focused on peace education, with practical training in de-escalation and effective communication for conflict resolution.
The Commitment of Solange Rising Star
At Solange Rising Star (SRS), we believe that peace is possible when both survivors and perpetrators are given the chance to rebuild their lives. Our programs are centered on:
Supporting survivors of violence with healing and empowerment opportunities.
Rehabilitating perpetrators through reconciliation and reintegration efforts.
Promoting peace education in communities affected by the crisis.
Our work speaks louder than we think, and every step we take is a contribution to a more peaceful Cameroon.
A Call for Collective Action
Peace is not built by one person or one organization—it requires the collective strength of all of us. Together, we can break the cycles of violence and sow seeds of reconciliation.
👉 Join us in this mission. Share our message, follow our work, and be part of the change.
Stay connected with Solange Rising Star as we continue to create pathways for peace and reconciliation.
#PeaceInCameroon #InternationalDayOfPeace #SolangeRisingStar
ECHO Rehabilitation Project – September Update
“From Tears to Transformation: Change is Possible”
September was a month of breakthrough for our ECHO Rehabilitation Project. What began with heavy hearts ended in tears of reconciliation, hope, and renewed belief that change is possible.
Despite the challenges of Cameroon’s pre-election season, which restricted access to prisons and state facilities, we pressed on strategically. With the support of local leaders in a community with high numbers of offenders, we secured a small space that became the heartbeat of transformation.
This Month’s Highlights
Restorative Justice (Sept 2):
Participants wrote letters of accountability, reflecting deeply on the harm caused to victims and families. Many realized their actions created ripples far beyond their crime.Family Reconciliation (Sept 16):
Parents and families were invited. Tears flowed, but forgiveness and understanding followed. For the first time in years, hope was restored between loved ones.
What We Achieved (SMART Outcomes)
Planned to work with 20 offenders → Identified 73 → Trained 26 consistent participants.
10 offenders with one year left will graduate as advocates against sexual violence, using their voices to end the very crimes they once committed.
3 participants released already continue lessons at our community center—choosing growth over freedom without purpose.
Families reconciled, stigma reduced, and pathways for healthy reintegration built.
Impact That Matters
Offenders shifted from denial to accountability.
Families moved from brokenness to healing.
Communities are beginning to hear unified voices against violence.
Gratitude
🙏 Thank you, Kanthari, for training us to lead strategically.
🙏 Thank you, Haëlla Stichting Foundation, for funding this pioneering journey.
Looking Ahead
October marks our final lessons, preparing participants for release. We are proud to have already exceeded our target, reaching more lives than planned.
✨ Change is not just possible it is happening. One voice, one family, one community at a time.
✨ ECHO Project Completed — And the Impact Goes Beyond What We Imagined ✨
Our team at Solange Rising Star (SRS) has officially completed the ECHO Prison Rehabilitation Project, and full updates will be shared in our December Quarterly Newsletter.
But today, I want to share a story that shook us—in the best possible way.
Because peacebuilding is not only about transforming lives…
It is also about restoring dignity, rebuilding trust, and healing the ecosystem around us.
🌱 Yes… the ecosystem.
A life that could have been wasted, rejected, feared, or even harmed by his community after years in prison…
A life that society had already written off…
✨ Found purpose. Found peace. Found a second chance.
After 3 months without seeing him, one of our former participants returned—not empty-handed, but full of gratitude.
He came back to say:
“Thank you Haella for giving us a second chance through Solange Rising Star.”
What shocked us most was the transformation we saw.
This young man used to plant flowers and trees for sale—especially to hotels and new homes. Now, he wants to turn it into a real business. I asked him why he loved planting trees so much.
His answer?
“The town is too hot… people need shade.”
I smiled. He smiled.
Then I asked him to repeat the phrase “global warming.”
He said it proudly—without even knowing he was helping fight it all along.
🌍 This man is contributing to climate change mitigation…
without even realizing the power of his impact.
He is also a content creator, using music and storytelling to warn others:
🎶 “I will never again… One bad move can lead you to the prison gate.”
His courage to turn pain into prevention…
His willingness to rebuild bridges…
His passion for a greener community…
👉 This is success to us.
This is why we exist.
We are peacebuilders. And the change is REAL.
In the photo below, I’m showing him how we will craft his own venture profile—using our existing models as a guide. Because rehabilitation is not an endpoint; it is a beginning.
💚 Thank you Haella Stichting for believing in second chances.
Thank you to our team for your dedication.
And thank you to every life that chooses healing over harm.
The ECHO Project is proof:
When you invest in transformation, the ripple effects touch communities, generations, and even the environment.
#SolangeRisingStar #ECHOProject #Rehabilitation #Peacebuilding #ClimateAction #SecondChances #ImpactStory #HaellaStichting #CommunityHealing #PrisonReform #SGBVPrevention #HopeInAction
A Movement in Kumba: Breaking the Silence on Child Protection
“Every phase of life is a lesson in growth, healing, and transformationembracing it makes you stronger.”
Solange Rising Star (SRS), Kacherkatan
The butterfly is emerging.
The months of November and December marked a powerful turning point for Solange Rising Star (SRS) and our work in Kumba. Our team took a firm stand against the painful realities of child abuse and sexual violence that continue to affect our communities—stories we encountered directly through survivors and even perpetrators engaged during our prison-based interventions.
Remaining silent was never an option. Silence enables harm. Speaking out is an act of care, courage, and responsibility.
Our Work in Partnership with HADY (under UNICEF)
Through our partnership with HADY under UNICEF, SRS implemented extensive child protection and PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) awareness activities across Kumba. Our team was trained as PSEA facilitators, enabling us to deliver accurate, survivor-centered, and age-appropriate education.
Our reach and impact include:
Engagement in over 16 schools
Awareness sessions delivered to:
2,000+ primary school pupils and nursery children
300+ community members
Establishment of three (3) trained community focal persons per community, empowered to:
Lead child protection efforts
Support reporting mechanisms
Act as safe points of contact for survivors and concerned community members
What Children Are Learning
These interventions are already creating change. Children now understand:
That their bodies belong to them
How to say STOP and NO to unwanted touch
The importance of reporting abuse to trusted adults and community focal persons
The lifelong impact of rape and sexual violence
That consent matters
That safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility
How to look out for and protect one another
More Than a Project—A Movement
This work goes beyond awareness sessions. It is about breaking cycles of silence, fear, and stigma, and replacing them with knowledge, accountability, and collective protection.
We are proud of our team for choosing courage over comfort and action over silence. Together, we are building a safer, more informed Kumba—one child, one family, and one community at a time.
Support the Movement
Solange Rising Star is expanding its child protection and survivor support programs to other towns and villages. Your support—whether financial or material helps us reach more children, train more community leaders, and strengthen survivor-centered response systems.
Support options:
Mobile Money (MTN MoMo): 680 875 309
Every contribution matters. Together, we can end sexual violence and protect our children.
#PSEA #ChildProtection #Kumba #BreakTheSilence #EndSexualViolence
Some people see a “former offender.”
We saw a human being capable of restoration, leadership, and change.
Before the ECHO Project ended, one young man walked into our space at Solange Rising Star searching for direction, purpose, and a second chance. Today, he is becoming a peacebuilder, environmental advocate, youth mobilizer, and voice against violence in his community.
I still remember the day he told me about his dream of planting trees because “the town is too hot.”
I smiled and explained to him that what he was fighting against was climate change and global warming. That conversation changed something in him.
He became curious. Hungry to learn. Determined to grow.
He sat with me for hours asking questions about leadership, social enterprise, advocacy, and how to build a vision that could outlive him. Using the skills and lessons I gained from Kanthari Institute of Social Change, we co-created ideas together. I cautioned him not to rush the process but to grow gradually and intentionally.
During the launch of the SURECHO Empowerment Hub, he stood before a crowd and performed a song titled:
“Never Again Will I Hurt a Soul.”
The song warned young people against rape, violence, and destruction, reminding them that prison gates remain open for those who choose harm over humanity. The room fell silent. Many were emotional. I was emotional too. Watching genuine transformation unfold before my eyes brought me to tears.
That same day, he received cash support and recognition from the Mayor, the Divisional Officer, and invited guests who witnessed his sincerity, advocacy, and restoration journey.
But he did not stop there.
From Kumba to Fontem, he continued organizing peace talks for youths, speaking during Youth Day celebrations, planting trees, mentoring younger boys, and using music as a tool for social change. He later joined Solange Rising Star during the Women’s Day march pass, standing in solidarity with women and girls against sexual violence.
Today, authorities in his village recognize him for his dedication to:
🌱 Tree planting
🕊️ Peacebuilding
🎶 Advocacy through music
👥 Youth mentorship
He now leads an initiative called “Atabong and children Beauty of Nature.” At first, I questioned the name. But he explained that one day he wants his children to know the story behind his journey — and that the “sons” are the young people he is already mentoring today.
Imagine if nobody had listened to him.
Imagine if society had completely given up on him.
Imagine if restoration was never given a chance.
This is why Solange Rising Star exists.
To restore dignity.
To mentor.
To rebuild lives.
To unify voices against sexual violence.
To prove that transformation is possible.
Today, we are calling on partners, well-wishers, and supporters to help this young visionary grow. He currently lacks:
🏢 A small office space
👥 A strong working team
📚 Resources to fully activate his initiatives
Your support can help turn his vision into a sustainable community organization impacting many more lives across Cameroon.
Support Solange Rising Star as we continue touching lives and building hope where society least expects it.
#SolangeRisingStar #SecondChance #Peacebuilding #TreePlanting #ClimateAction #EndSexualViolence #YouthLeadership #Restoration #Cameroon #Fontem #Kumba #CommunityImpact
From Survival to Leadership: Healing in Community
Sometimes, the most powerful leaders are born from the deepest wounds.
This month, as part of the SURECHO Empowerment Hub Action Plan, the Solange Rising Star (SRS) team traveled to Tinto in Manyu Division, Southwest Cameroon — a community hosting many internally displaced families affected by the ongoing Anglophone crisis.
Behind every displaced family is a story of interruption:
children separated from stability,
women carrying invisible trauma,
young people growing up surrounded by uncertainty.
Displacement has not only deepened poverty; it has also increased vulnerability to sexual exploitation, abuse, and violence against women and children.
But this visit was not only about responding to pain.
It was about witnessing transformation.
For the first time, SRS was joined by a newly born survivor-led initiative called MOHWAH ANEH MEH NKONG — meaning “My Child That I Love.”
The initiative was co-founded by a young woman who once passed through the SRS S.U.R.E Program (Survivor Uplift, Restoration, and Empowerment). After surviving a painful childhood herself, she chose to transform her experience into protection for others.
Instead of allowing trauma to define her future, she decided to become the safe space she never had.
Today, she is building community awareness around child protection, safeguarding, and the reporting of sexual exploitation and abuse in Tinto.
For us, this is what healing in community looks like:
survivors becoming protectors.
The founder of SRS, who also carries her own lived journey through adversity, now supports this initiative as a Child Protection and Safeguarding Officer. Together, the outreach became more than a field activity — it became a living testimony that healing can grow into leadership.
What touched us deeply was not only the vulnerability we encountered, but the compassion already alive within the community itself.
Local community members mobilized support through WhatsApp groups, friendships, and small personal contributions to provide children with slippers, shoes, and tablets of soap.
Simple items.
But in contexts of displacement, dignity matters.
The smiles of the children.
The gratitude of parents.
The sense of belonging slowly returning.
These moments remind us that impact is not always loud. Sometimes, it begins quietly through people who choose to care.
The visit concluded with a community dialogue on:
- understanding and reporting sexual and gender-based violence,
- child protection and safeguarding,
- positive parenting responsibilities for both boys and girls,
- and the importance of prevention, accountability, and community vigilance.
Lessons from our prison rehabilitation work were also shared to spark conversations around cycles of violence, responsibility, and healing.
The outreach further created an opportunity to introduce the SURECHO Hub social enterprise initiatives to a local council representative present during the activity. These initiatives include:
- school and office uniform production,
- school bag production,
- resin-based products,
- and eco-friendly upcycled paper bags as alternatives to plastic packaging.
At SRS, we believe sustainable peace must also include economic dignity and community resilience.
This is the spirit of grassroots leadership:
ordinary people creating extraordinary change with limited resources but limitless compassion.
To our courageous team who traveled despite difficult conditions, thank you.
To the team behind MOHWAH ANEH MEH NKONG, thank you for choosing compassion over silence.
To the Tinto community, thank you for trusting us.
And to the Kanthari Foundation Switzerland, thank you for believing in survivor-led, community-driven change.
The journey continues.
Last Wednesday 2nd of June 2026 in Kumba, something unusual happened.
A street vendor sat beside a religious leader.
A commercial driver listened carefully to a tailor.
A bar owner shared a table with a counselor.
A parent listened to a survivor.
A person with a disability challenged assumptions that many people had never questioned before.
And for one full day, nobody came to teach.
Everybody came to listen.
As part of the Local Youth Corner Cameroon (LOYOC) Seed Grant, Solange Rising Star (SRS), MININA, and MEPEWIDA (Meme Persons with Disabilities Association) organized an Improbable Dialogue on Toxic Relationships among Youths in Kumba.
The facilitators?
Not relationship experts.
Not professors.
Just two people who have spent years working for social justice, peace, dignity, and safer communities:
Solange Ndip of Solange Rising Star and Bankui Aristide of Justice and Peace.
Because we share a common belief:
If we want peaceful communities, we must first build healthy relationships.
The room was intentionally diverse.
Street vendors.
Drivers.
Teachers.
Tailors.
Religious leaders.
Counselors.
Social workers.
Bar owners.
Parents.
Young people.
Persons with disabilities.
Some came with professional experience.
Others came with something even more powerful:
Lived experience.
Among the participants were survivors, reformed perpetrators, parents, elders, religious leaders, and young people carrying stories they had never shared publicly before.
As the dialogue unfolded, a difficult truth emerged:
Toxic relationships are not simply “relationship problems.”
They are often the starting point of much bigger issues:
Gender-based violence.
Sexual exploitation.
Lack of consent.
Emotional abuse.
Sexual violence.
Family breakdown.
Mental health struggles.
And cycles of harm that affect entire communities.
Throughout the day, participants explored warning signs, root causes, harmful social norms, accountability, disability inclusion, consent, respect, trust, and healthy communication.
But the most powerful learning did not come from the facilitators.
It came from the stories.
A survivor’s story.
A parent’s reflection.
A young person’s realization.
A reformed perpetrator admitting mistakes.
A participant recognizing their own behavior in someone else’s experience.
That is when change became visible.
Not next month.
Not next year.
Immediately.
Because sometimes people do not change when they are told.
They change when they see themselves reflected in another person’s story.
By the end of the dialogue, participants stood in a commitment circle and completed one simple sentence:
“One thing I will do differently after today is…”
The answers were honest.
“I will listen more.”
“I will respect boundaries.”
“I will communicate better.”
“I will stop controlling people I claim to love.”
Small commitments.
But every healthy community begins with small commitments.
At SRS, we believe this conversation cannot end in one room.
It cannot end after one workshop.
It cannot end after one grant.
Because toxic relationships continue to destroy dreams, families, and futures every day.
We already have the curriculum.
We have trained facilitators.
We have community partners.
What we need now are resources to take these conversations further.
Into schools.
Into communities.
Onto radio stations.
Onto television programs.
Into digital storytelling and documentary films.
Into every space where silence still protects harm.
If this story resonates with you, consider supporting our work.
Any contribution large or small can help us mobilize communities, organize more dialogues, amplify survivor voices, and create safer relationships for the next generation.
Because violence rarely begins with a punch.
It often begins with control.
With silence.
With manipulation.
With disrespect.
And if we can change the way people relate to one another, we can change much more than relationships.
We can change communities.
And perhaps, one conversation at a time, we can change the future.
The Road to Ending Sexual Violence Is Harder Than I Ever Imagined
When I founded Solange Rising Star, I believed I understood the challenges ahead.
As a survivor of sexual violence, I carried a vision that became my life’s mission: to build a peaceful world without rape, where communities uphold consent, respect and mutual empowerment.
After completing my leadership journey at Kanthari, I returned to Cameroon determined to transform that vision into reality. My experience reshaped our organization’s direction so profoundly that I updated our legal registration to reflect our expanded mission and innovative interventions.
One of those innovations was perhaps our most controversial idea: working with perpetrators of sexual violence before they returned to society.
Many questioned the approach. Some wondered why we would invest in people who had caused so much harm.
But prevention requires more than punishment. It requires transformation.
With support from the Haella Foundation, we launched our prison rehabilitation programme. Prison authorities carefully reviewed our one-year curriculum before granting approval.
Inside prison we identified more than seventy cases linked to rape, including twenty-six offenders nearing release. Ten completed the programme and graduated.
Rather than ending our support at prison gates, we welcomed them into the SURECHO Empowerment Hub, where they continue learning alongside survivors, internally displaced persons and vulnerable community members. Together they receive leadership training, entrepreneurship education, business management, vocational skills, environmental conservation training through plastic upcycling and tree planting, and advocacy skills that help build safer communities.
Kanthari believed in this vision enough to fund seventy percent of the programme. Today we continue seeking partners to complete the remaining funding needed for the full two-year initiative.
Then reality reminded me why this work matters.
Last Friday evening, around 8 p.m., my phone rang.
A five-year-old girl had been raped by a forty-five-year-old man.
Everything suddenly became personal again.
Our case manager had already ensured the suspect was taken to the gendarmerie. Early the next morning we accompanied the child to a government hospital, ensuring she received immediate medical attention, HIV post-exposure prophylaxis and an official medical-legal examination.
Throughout the process there were attempts to encourage an informal resolution.
We refused.
Justice should never be negotiated at the expense of a child.
For almost twenty-four hours, the little girl could not speak.
Watching her reopened wounds I thought had healed.
For the first time since establishing Solange Rising Star, I experienced the full emotional weight of my own survivor journey while supporting another survivor.
But that experience also revealed something else.
Most families do not know where to begin after sexual violence.
They don’t know the legal process.
They don’t know the medical procedures.
They don’t know what evidence must be preserved.
They don’t know their rights.
Without guidance, many cases disappear before justice even begins.
Another painful reality became obvious.
Organizations like ours often respond to emergencies without emergency response funds.
Transport costs.
Medical expenses.
Communication.
Documentation.
Court follow-ups.
Community visits.
These are rarely covered, yet they determine whether a survivor receives justice.
Despite these challenges, we continue because every hour matters.
This journey has become far more difficult than I ever imagined.
Yet every survivor we accompany, every offender who genuinely reforms, and every child we help protect reminds me why we cannot stop.
Ending sexual violence demands courageous survivors, accountable justice systems, transformed communities, and people willing to stand beside those whose voices have been silenced.
At Solange Rising Star, we remain committed to that mission.
If you believe every child deserves protection, every survivor deserves justice, and every community deserves peace, then we invite you to join us.
Together, we can build the future we all deserve—a future where consent, respect and mutual empowerment define our communities instead of violence.
From Chrysalis to Change: Watching Fourteen More Wings Unfold
As a survivor of sexual violence, I know what it feels like to be defined by your worst moment.
I know what it feels like to carry pain in silence.
I know what it feels like when society decides your future before you have the chance to write it yourself.
For years, I carried that pain alone.
There were moments when the pain felt heavier than hope and when the future seemed smaller than the wounds of the past. Like many survivors, I wondered whether healing was possible and whether society would ever see beyond what had happened to me.
But life has a beautiful way of surprising us.
Pain does not always end in destruction.
Sometimes, pain becomes purpose.
Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, I emerged from that season not broken, but transformed. What once felt like an ending slowly became the beginning of a mission: to ensure that no survivor, no rejected girl, no stigmatized woman, and no person seeking a second chance would have to walk that journey alone.
This week, I witnessed something extraordinary.
I watched fourteen more wings unfold.
We celebrated the graduation of fourteen participants from our SURECHO Empowerment Hub, out of eighteen participants who began the journey across three different skills pathways: Bag Making, Resin Art, and Upcycling.
Some spent six months learning the art of bag making.
Others spent three months transforming resin into beauty and discarded materials into opportunity.
But vocational skills were never our final destination.
Skills are important.
Income matters.
Economic independence changes lives.
But transformation goes deeper than employment.
The graduates who walked across that room carried much more than certificates.
They carried confidence.
They carried dignity.
They carried a renewed sense of purpose.
They carried the belief that they can contribute positively to their communities.
They leave not only as artisans and entrepreneurs but also as environmental advocates, community focal persons against sexual violence, peer educators, and ambassadors of change.
For some, this journey represented much more than training.
Some arrived carrying labels placed on them by society.
Some had experienced rejection.
Some had been defined by mistakes.
Some had been judged for circumstances beyond their control.
Some had internalized the belief that their stories had already been written.
But stories can be rewritten.
Communities can heal.
People can change.
Second chances can become first opportunities.
This belief also lies at the heart of our ECHO Prison Project, where we work with individuals often defined only by the worst decisions of their lives.
We have witnessed accountability replace denial.
We have witnessed forgiveness replace bitterness.
We have witnessed a genuine desire for transformation emerge where many expected hopelessness.
We refuse to believe that any human being should be reduced to a single chapter of their story.
Human beings are capable of growth.
Communities are capable of healing.
Justice and compassion can exist together.
That is the future we are working toward.
A future where survivors are not defined by violence.
A future where former offenders are not permanently imprisoned by their past.
A future where communities choose restoration over rejection.
A future where young women and girls are empowered to lead.
A future where environmental responsibility and social justice walk hand in hand.
A future where transformation becomes contagious.
This journey would not have been possible without those who first believed in me when all I had was a story and a dream.
The knowledge, tools, and courage I received through the kanthari journey transformed not only my leadership but my understanding of what is possible when lived experience is combined with action.
The support received for our prison rehabilitation work opened doors for conversations around accountability, forgiveness, responsibility, and healing that many believed were impossible.
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To every mentor, supporter, partner, volunteer, participant, and community member who has walked this journey with us, thank you.
Most importantly, thank you to the fourteen graduates whose courage reminds us why this work matters.
You are no longer waiting for change.
You are becoming the change.
The butterfly effect is real.
When one survivor rises, communities rise.
When one person receives a second chance, generations benefit.
When one butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, others discover that they too can fly.
This is not the end of the story.
It is only the beginning.
And somewhere, right now, another butterfly is preparing to spread its wings.
