Emergency housing: Combating violence against women 

In this brand-new facility, which has been welcoming women for almost a year now, Tifanny is committed to ensuring that support for victims of violence is as effective as possible. As an educational instructor and the facility’s designated advisor on violence against women, she is pursuing a university diploma specializing in victim care, funded by Groupe SOS. Her primary mission: to encourage open communication. “We can’t force them to talk,” she explains. “But we can create an environment where they feel safe enough to share.” 

This challenge is met with compassion by the facility’s team. Thanks to individual apartments, residents regain a sense of privacy and serenity they may have lost. While the studios are fully furnished and equipped, each woman is free to decorate her space as she wishes, fostering a feeling of home. More importantly, the team’s supportive approach has built genuine trust among the residents. Moments of connection and mutual respect emerge naturally. Around 4 p.m., Fatima and Latifa, two of the residents, come down to share homemade Moroccan tea with Tifanny and Cathy, the center’s second specialized educator. They chat for a long while, sharing smiles and memories. The delicious tea is enthusiastically offered to other team members working nearby: Jean Christophe, the director, and Delphine, the administrative assistant. 

Of course, life isn’t always rosy, and disputes among neighbors arise here, as they do anywhere. Tensions have occasionally flared, and some residents have voiced complaints. Yet this doesn’t stop Fatima from expressing her gratitude: “Here, it feels like a family.” A victim of fraud, she had found herself homeless. Now, she has reconnected with her passion and former profession: painting. She plans to contribute her talents to the facility by creating a series of Christmas-themed artworks to decorate the communal spaces.