Safe Space 4 Her (SS4H), a women-led organisation in Gambia, recently celebrated its five-year anniversary with the launch of its new strategic plan, website, and brand identity. The event, held at Bakadaji Hotel on October 1, 2026, brought together women's rights advocates, partners, young people, and beneficiaries of the organisation's programmes. Established in 2021, SS4H was created to address the gap in support for girls and young women experiencing violence, harmful traditional practices, and psychological distress.
Over the past five years, SS4H has made significant progress in its mission to empower women and girls. The organisation has established safe spaces in four rural schools, trained 30 Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Ambassadors as peer counsellors, and reached more than 500 girls and young women through safe space circles. Additionally, SS4H has referred 26 girls for professional clinical care and held four women's retreats, providing free one-on-one counselling to 50 young women and girls.
The Chairperson of the SS4H Board of Trustees, Mam Lisa Camara, emphasised the importance of keeping the organisation's beneficiaries at the centre of its programmes and partnerships. She highlighted that the new five-year strategic plan would focus on survivor support and mental health, prevention and community engagement, policy and advocacy, organisational sustainability, youth leadership, and girls' rights. The board aims to ensure the strategy remains a working document capable of guiding the organisation's growth and producing measurable improvements in the lives of women and girls.
Founder and Executive Director of SS4H, Sophie Manneh, said the organisation grew from conversations with young women who were looking for someone willing to listen to their experiences. She explained that SS4H began with a small group of 10 young women in September 2021, without funding or a strategic plan, but with trust as its foundation. Manneh stressed that women and girls cannot fully realise their potential unless they are safe, protected, and empowered.
SGBV Ambassador Mariama Anta Secka shared her experience of being trained by SS4H, which changed her understanding of gender-based violence. She gained skills to recognise, respond to, and refer cases appropriately, and is now confident to stand in front of people and talk about sensitive topics. Her testimony was echoed by others who have participated in SS4H safe spaces and reflected on the positive changes they experienced through the programme.
Women in Liberation and Leadership Executive Director Fatou Baldeh emphasised the importance of creating spaces where women and girls can be heard and supported. She stressed that psychosocial support, peer leadership, advocacy, and community engagement must work together to strengthen efforts to empower women and girls. Baldeh also highlighted the need for young women and survivors to be involved in shaping programmes because they understand the challenges they face and can contribute to solutions.
As SS4H looks to the future, the organisation is committed to continuing its work to promote the rights, protection, and wellbeing of women and girls in Gambia. With its new strategic plan and initiatives, SS4H aims to build on its achievements and make a lasting impact in the lives of its beneficiaries. The organisation's anniversary event featured testimonies from young women who have participated in SS4H safe spaces, demonstrating the positive changes they experienced through the programme.
Key points
- SS4H has established safe spaces in four rural schools and trained 30 SGBV Ambassadors as peer counsellors.
- The organisation has reached more than 500 girls and young women through safe space circles and provided free one-on-one counselling to 50 young women and girls.
- SS4H's new five-year strategic plan focuses on survivor support and mental health, prevention and community engagement, policy and advocacy, organisational sustainability, youth leadership, and girls' rights.
