by Fama Dione, bird story agency
When Yacine Minda Diouf, a social entrepreneur and community leader, established the Kayam Centre as a refuge for survivors of domestic violence in 2022, she knew she was filling a void.
“Personally, I have not seen any organisation that takes into account women’s suffering and offers help for their psychological distress, acknowledging their trauma, forced marriages, female genital mutilation, domestic violence, psychological violence,” Diouf told bird.
Traditionally, women, especially mothers, are at the centre of community-building and are respected for carrying out this role in many localities across the West African country. However, accounts of women experiencing domestic violence behind closed doors in their homes, are often buried and institutional support is lacking. This has created a social burden that people like Diouf believe needs to be addressed.
“At one point, I asked myself the question, how do these women who have no means, who have no support, cope? How do they do it? Where do they go? And that’s when I had the idea of creating this centre to welcome them, house them, help and support them,” she said.
The Kayam Centre is situated in the Petit Mbao neighbourhood of Pikine district, a few kilometres from Dakar. The building has become a recognizable institution in the neighborhood. Residents come from across West Africa, namely from Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia. The women undergo artisanal training, while receiving protection from their former abusers. Some of the girls arrive covered in blood. At Kayam, they are rehabilitated to recover from the trauma of domestic violence.
“The centre welcomes women in distress. The centre protects, the centre supports and the centre comes alongside the women. That is the process here. From the moment they arrive at the centre, how we receive them is very important. We talk about medical emergencies. We talk about conflict management and we also talk about women in positions of responsibility. It should also be noted that the centre is not just a refuge, but a training centre for women, a rehabilitation centre,” explained Béatrice Yolande Badiane, Kayam’s director. A former finance professional and entrepreneur, she, too, is a survivor of domestic violence.
At the centre, a shelf showcases processed food products, handmade purses and beaded jewelry. The products were made by women survivors of domestic violence who reside there. Some of the women pass the time sifting millet and beans. For them, the centre is both a home and a lifeline, a gathering space to meet women who understand what they have been through. It is one of the few such spaces in Senegal.
“I was the victim of an attempted rape. A friend told me about the center, and I came here,” Fanta Mané told bird. “The care I received was perfect; they helped me overcome the ordeal. Today, to repay their kindness, I decided to stay here and became the director’s personal assistant. I receive a salary at the end of each month.”
A national survey on domestic violence against women in Senegal was conducted for the first time from 2023 to 2024. It was carried out by the Senegalese National Agency for Statistics and Demography, with the support of several UN agencies. According to the results, more than one third of women aged 15 or over in Senegal (31.9%) had experienced some form of violence in a place of residence, within the 12 months that the survey was conducted.
With regards to violence against women outside of the marital context, the results on the prevalence of violence against women reveal that a significant proportion of women in society, 87.5%, reported having experienced violence before the age of 18. Similarly, the majority of Senegalese women (89.2%) reported having been victims of violence during their lifetime.
Daba Ndione, a sociologist and specialist in gender and social inclusion, explained that the actual figures may be higher.
“There are cases that go unreported. I am sure that the figures would be higher if the reporting rates were higher. Because we must understand that in our society, we do not have a culture of reporting,” she said.
Currently, the Kayam Centre can accommodate up to 31 victims of violence. They often arrive pregnant, and the centre takes full responsibility for them and their babies.
“Once at Kayam, we help them find income-generating activities. It is one of the largest women’s protection centres and we focus heavily on empowerment, especially when it comes to training, we emphasise food self-sufficiency. In addition, of course, to training in dressmaking and other activities that will enable them to engage in income-generating activities,” Badiane said.
In September, a Senegalese feminist collective, called Jama, organized the third edition of Jotaay Ji, which means “the gathering” in Wolof. Women gathered in Dakar’s iconic La Place du Souvenir Africain under the festival’s theme, “Dream, Act, Share” to watch presentations about the feminist movement in Senegal and listen to stories of empowerment and resource-sharing. Ndione attended the three-day festival, which also featured a self-defense workshop.
“There is a lot of work being done by women’s organisations to encourage victims to come forward, but the fact remains that often in our families, there are cases that are not reported. So once again, this is a phenomenon that exist, that is becoming more and more widespread, but there is still work to be done behind the scenes to encourage victims and survivors to report their experiences,” Ndione said.
The Kayam Centre remains a beacon, a sanctuary and an important resource in Senegal’s growing rehabilitation network as survivors of domestic violence get the support they need to break the silence.
bird story agency
