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RAFHA, CEYW

RAFHA Inc. (Rafha means healing in the Swahili language), the Center for Empowering Young Women (CEYW) is South Jersey’s first employment, leadership, and advocacy non-profit program run entirely by and for young women who, in the wake of experiencing incarceration and life on the streets, are working to end generational cycles of incarceration and poverty.

Young women coming out of detention have a limited educational background and the stigma of a criminal record makes their job prospects dim. Yet, the lack of gainful and meaningful employment is the primary obstacle facing young women struggling to complete probationary requirements, to not re-offend and to stabilize their lives. Many cannot rely on support from parents or other family members.

Holistic Healing:

The healing and development the Center for Empowering Young Women offers to young women at risk is holistic in nature. We begin and end with the whole young woman. Traditionally, nonprofits and service providers have focused on single categories like disease prevention. We address the various issues young women are facing and address all needs such as political and legal education, therapy, health and wellness services, employment needs, safe dwelling issues and more.

All of our programs have been designed using our holistic approach that recognizes each young woman as a whole person who already has the experience and strength necessary to become a self-sufficient community member.

Gender-Specific:

We offer a vibrant model for linking youth development and youth organizing, with the mission of providing gender-specific, peer-based opportunities for high-risk, low- and no-income young women to build healthier lives and healthier communities. Our programs work to ensure that young women who have been deeply hurt and excluded — who have been homeless, incarcerated, or otherwise severely impacted by poverty — have a place to heal, achieve self-sufficiency and become positively engaged in their communities. Our programs recognize each young woman as having the potential to be a powerful leader and agent of change.

Key to the Center for Empowering Young Women’s (CEYW) success is that it is gender specific and focused on a diverse group of young women who share very explicit experiences that are severely marginalizing and traumatic. Our programs help dissuade the notion that generic youth programs can truly serve all young people, when their lives vary so greatly. The general belief that everyone is welcome in any program usually means that only some will make it, while those most in need will fall away or never walk through the doors at all. CEYW programs designed specifically for young women at risk, target their specific needs while highlighting their strengths and natural leadership abilities.

We encourage you to find out more about our programs and successes on these pages. Feel free to contact us with your questions and interest as to how you can help us further our cause.