Ayak continued, the assailants are suspected to be from the neighboring communities who have horrible intention to use sexual violence as a tool of revenge. The present of the armies group have made it difficult for women and girls to collect firewood, making charcoal and go for water fetching. I must affirm to you that making charcoal is one of the lucrative activities here but dangerous for women and girls to deal in, she empathized. In 2023, the living standard of my household deteriorates drastically to an unimagining worse as repercussion of quitting from charcoal burning activity.

This crucial idea of establishing the community-based safety patrol groups has created a safe space for women and girls to carry out their usual activities. The patrol groups were tasked to fight and mitigate the risks that affect women and girls, Ayak narrated.

The establishment of community-based safety patrol groups has significantly reduced the cases of rapes, abductions and killings of vulnerable women and girls in the last five months. I resumed burning of charcoal instantly because of the safety assurance, as subsequence youths patrols on daily bases. I am currently selling charcoal and production has increased compare to the time when I used to go to forest alone without escort. I do no longer fear; I carry out my business with a lot of confident, joy and hope because of patrol group present in the forest. I work for long hours than before when the assailants could surprise me with attack any time. Ayak added, there are no cases of rape and abduction in the last five months. She perpetuated, my income on the charcoal sell has improved greatly compare to when I only work for few hours because of fear to be attacked by rapist. As such the living standard of my family improved greatly. I attributed success of my business to our community-based safety patrol groups’ intervention for prioritizing women and girls safety.