MERI SEIF HAUS (WOMEN'S SAFE HOUSE)

The Meri Seif Haus (Women's Safe House) and Family Referral Service are key services of HWC and constitute the only service of this kind in the Haku language area. The Meri Seif Haus is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Women and children escaping family violence can access emergency shelter, counselling and referral to longer-term services.   

We started with a single room (below left) to shelter women in crisis. In 2020 we are constructing a new building for the Meri Seif Haus (below right), so we can shelter more families escaping violence and provide them with more comfortable and appropriate facilities. We need to raise further funds to cover the internal fitout and make essential furniture such as beds, cupboards and tables. We are very grateful for all donations to this crucial project: click here to date.  

Family violence is a major problem in Bougainville, exacerbated by post-war trauma and social issues, and related drug and alcohol use.
​Some of these background issues are also targeted by HWC social programs addressing use of alcohol, cannabis and buai (betel nut). 
​HWC partners with all the Law and Justice and Health organisations, and our President is on the Bougainville FASV Committee.

In 2019 we averaged about 3-5 clients per week at the Centre – and many others are receiving ongoing counselling in their local areas of Haku where HWC has trained up 7 male and 12 female counsellors. 
We also work with the Mental Health Counsellors newly trained and installed at the Lemanmanu Health Centre in central Haku.