Freely in Hope

Freely in Hope Equipping survivors and advocates to lead in ending the cycle of sexual violence.

We are survivors, advocates, scholars, and leaders who live freely because we are no longer victimized by the pain of the past. Together, we are getting closer and closer to the day sexual violence is history—believing that hope is always present.

05/31/2026

When you look at a tree, which part do you see yourself as? For many of our scholars, being the roots means being the unseen strength that holds everything together. It means doing “more and more and more”—not always out of desire, but out of the survival-driven fear that if they stop, the whole tree might fall. This constant labor of caretaking can lead to “cracks” in the soul that often go unattended.

At Freely in Hope, we provide safe harbors where the roots can finally be watered:
- A Place to Turn Inward: We offer spaces, such as our boarding schools and leadership labs, where scholars can attend to their own needs without the “guilt” of abandoning their people.
- Rest as Restoration: We believe that mental wellness requires a place to breathe and heal so that the living becomes a choice, not just a chore.
- A New Legacy: By watering these roots with knowledge and healing, we are helping survivors grow a tree more beautiful and resilient than anyone imagined possible.

True mental health is realized when the “helper” is finally helped. When we invest in a survivor’s healing, we aren’t just supporting one person; we are strengthening the foundation of an entire community.

Your $15 gift to the Campaign funds the safe housing and mental health support that allows survivors to heal without guilt.https://fifteen.funraise.org/

For Mercy, and for many in our community, mental health isn't just about the absence of stress; it’s about the presence ...
05/31/2026

For Mercy, and for many in our community, mental health isn't just about the absence of stress; it’s about the presence of confidence and a system of mutual support. When Mercy’s mindset shifted, her business became more than a lifeline—it became a community asset. By finding her own stability, she created a "safe space" and jobs for two other young women. This is the mental health "ripple effect": a healthy mind creates a healthy community.

As Janae, another Malkia leader, reminds us: "Malkia introduced me to the concept of a 'Community of Belonging'—a place where ambition is nurtured by shared experience." In this space, personal growth is no longer a solitary burden you carry in silence. It is a shared resource backed by accountability and love.

We rise not by pulling each other down, but by choosing to lift each other up. This sense of belonging is the fuel that transforms heavy thoughts into sustainable action.
Mercy found her strength through a network of sisters. Who is in your "support system" that helps you maintain a strong mindset? Tag them below! 👇

05/31/2026

For a survivor, holistic education and safe housing are not luxuries; they are psychological necessities.

Mental wellness requires a space where a person can exist without being rushed, interrupted, or shut off. When the lights go out, what sustains the mind is:

• Safety and Shelter: The mental peace that comes from knowing you have a secure place to rest.
• Holistic Education: Learning that sees the “whole of you”—your dreams, your trauma, and your strength.
• Survivor Leadership: The internal compass that keeps you pursuing your dreams even when the darkness tries to dim them out.

When you invest in a girl’s education and well-being, you aren’t just paying fees—you are ensuring the light within her can bloom without interruption. You are making safety her new reality.

Your $15 gift to the Campaign keeps the “power on” for a survivor by funding safe housing and mental health support.https://fifteen.funraise.org/ 🔗

FreelyInHope

For many women in our community, the weight of life can often feel like a burden they have to carry alone. This Mental H...
05/16/2026

For many women in our community, the weight of life can often feel like a burden they have to carry alone. This Mental Health Awareness Month, we are highlighting how a safe community is the best medicine for the mind.

If you are hearing about us for the first time, Malkia is our survivor-led leadership initiative designed to help women reclaim their power. But it is more than just a training program, it is a place where mental wellness begins with belonging.

We believe that true strength doesn't come from struggling in silence. It comes from the "love that heals", the kind of support we find when we show up for each other, celebrate small wins, and figure things out together.

When we invest in women, we aren't just giving them a certificate; we are giving them a network of sisters who genuinely have their backs. This is how we move from feeling "swamped" by life to feeling empowered.

What is one way your community helps you stay mentally strong? Let’s share some love in the comments below! 👇

05/11/2026

We asked our team how our core pillars—Child Protection, Girl Empowerment, and Holistic Education—connect to the emotional well-being of the survivors we serve. Their answers reveal a powerful truth: our work isn’t just about responding to harm; it’s about building a future where mental wellness is the norm, not the exception.

For our team, protecting the mind is the thread that weaves our mission together:
- Child Protection (The Foundation of Safety): We replace silence with the language of autonomy. By building “Safe Harbors”—where teachers and parents meet a child’s voice with belief instead of blame—we reduce the anxiety and fear that trauma leaves behind.

- Girl Empowerment (The Power of Identity): True empowerment means seeing the whole person beyond their story. When we teach even our youngest learners the “Run, Shout, Tell” tools, we are giving them the agency to protect their own peace and claim their right to safety.

- Holistic Education (The Fuel for Dreams): A girl cannot fully learn if her environment isn’t secure. Our educational support includes “Dignity Kits” and psychosocial care to help people move from a state of survival to a season of thriving.

By centering survivor leadership in everything we do, we ensure that our programs are grounded in lived wisdom and healing, rather than fear. Mental health is not a solo endeavor; it is a collective commitment in which the entire village is invested in a girl’s ability to dream again

05/08/2026

In a world that often demands constant labor, we recognize that for many survivors, rest is a luxury. When survival is your primary job, the mental energy required to focus, to learn, and to grow is immense.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we are listening to the voices that remind us that "being" is often the hardest work of all. Survival isn't just an external battle; it is an internal labor of navigating trauma while trying to show up for school, for family, and for the future.

If you are new to our community, this is the heart of Freely in Hope. We don’t just provide scholarships; we provide the safe harbors necessary for the mind to finally rest. We believe that mental wellness begins when survival is no longer a full-time job.

We encourage dreams not of wealth or excess, but of ease. The ease to breathe, the ease to learn, and the ease to exist without the weight of the past holding every moment hostage. We are working toward the day when peace is no longer a luxury, but a right.

What does "ease" look like in your life? How do you carve out a moment to simply "be"?

We honor the courage it takes to speak truth in a world that often leans toward silence. For a person who has navigated ...
05/06/2026

We honor the courage it takes to speak truth in a world that often leans toward silence. For a person who has navigated this journey, today is a reminder that your worth was never what was taken; only your choice was. For those walking alongside them, your role is to be a "Safe Harbor"—meeting every disclosure with belief rather than interrogation.

We are dismantling the myths that blame individuals and replacing them with a blueprint for safety that begins with the language of consent and respect.

Your gift to our Campaign ensures we can continue building these safe harbors globally. Give $15 today at: https://fifteen.funraise.org/

While harm ripples through a community, the response to that harm can create an even more powerful ripple of healing. To...
05/03/2026

While harm ripples through a community, the response to that harm can create an even more powerful ripple of healing. To combat the impact of violence, we must prioritize mental health and wellness as fundamental rights, not luxuries.

For those in support roles, remember: resilience is not a solo thing it is a team effort. A "Community of Belonging" is a place where ambition is nurtured by shared experience. When we create safe harbors for meditation and vision-boarding, we provide the tools necessary to dream again. Healing is a communal responsibility, and when one person reclaims their voice, they open the door for an entire community to do the same.

Who is one person in your "community of belonging" who helps you feel seen? Tag them and tell them why. ❤️

Prevention starts long before a crisis—it begins in the classroom with the language of body safety. Education is our mos...
04/30/2026

Prevention starts long before a crisis—it begins in the classroom with the language of body safety. Education is our most powerful tool in dismantling the structures that allow violence to persist. We teach that every person has "the power to say no" and the right to have that choice respected without exception.

For educators, this means normalizing conversations about boundaries. When we teach the "Run, Shout, Tell" rule, we aren't just giving children a vocabulary for safety; we are moving away from a culture of servitude and toward a culture of self-love. By fostering this internal compass, we equip the next generation to recognize grooming and boundary-crossing before it escalates, ensuring safety becomes a lived reality.

What is one way you’ve taught the concept of "consent" to the children in your life? We’d love to hear your tips.

We have trained over 10,000 children and adults, but our vision is a future where safety is the norm for every child ove...
04/26/2026

We have trained over 10,000 children and adults, but our vision is a future where safety is the norm for every child over the next 15 years. This isn't just about a book; it’s a consultancy model that transforms how schools operate.

By training educators to be "Safe Adults," we build protective systems that actually shield. When we donated 16 Pendo’s Power books to Langata Road Primary or reached 1,165 learners at Unity Primary, we saw the transformation. Children who were once silent are now confidently naming safe adults and reporting risks. This is the tangible result of a survivor-led approach to prevention that values the agency of the child.

Does your local school have a proactive child protection policy? Let’s talk about how to advocate for one. $15 puts a Pendo’s Power book in a school library. Let’s protect more children together. Give here: https://fifteen.funraise.org/

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2550 Ninth Street #206M
Berkeley, CA
94710

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