The shelter provides means enabling recovery, self-esteem rebuilding and regaining self-determined and an independent life. The Haven Trust (THT) is a joint project that was initiated in 1995 by professionals from the medical and psychological fields, as well as citizens concerned with human rights and domestic violence in Bulawayo and the Matabeleland Provinces. The idea of establishing a shelter
for abused women and the their children was brought about following the realisation by those individuals, of the large extent of violence perpetrated against women and their children within their homes, as was constantly reported in the local daily news outlets. Additionally, those medical and psychology professionals in the course of their work persistently dealing with abused women and children who had been chased away or had fled from their homes in the wake of being assaulted during cases of domestic violence. THT opened its doors to the public in July 1999, and has since grown from strength to strength. They then offered them a distant space and time to think clearly of what to do to extricate themselves from the abusive situation. Domestic violence also impinges on women’s human rights violation and the spread of HIV and AIDS. We provide livelihood skills when funds are available. In 2008, The Haven Trust (THT) introduced an outreach programme working in four wards of Bulawayo, to mobilise the already functioning burial societies and survivors associations to link in order to discuss and share information on gender and gender equality , equity HIV/AIDS, and women’s rights issues. Some conflict is due to lack of knowledge of what the law says. The programme shares information across the strata of the community, from the poor to the elite, that includes domestic workers. THT also provides information on good governance, leadership skills, and the role of the community in reducing domestic violence as a social support system of the family. In cases where legal advice is required organisations such as ZWLA and Legal Project Centre provide information. Legal issues will include marriages, birth certificate, inheritance, property rights and wills. These issues have caused strains in some families and the most disadvantaged in that situation is the woman and her children. Musasa, Victim Friendly police sections, Contact Family Counselling and Health facilities refer clients to the Haven shelter.
