The Project

Vanuatu

Vanuatu is a beautiful country made up of 83 islands in the southern Pacific Ocean, home to around 327,000 people.

To an outsider, it may seem like a tropical paradise, but life for many locals is far from easy—especially for women. Tragically, around 80% of girls and women experience sexual abuse during their lifetime. Society is male-dominated, and a woman's voice often goes unheard. In many communities, even saying "no" is almost unheard of, with devastating consequences for health and safety.

Keep Safe

The Keep Safe Program is an initiative developed to address this urgent issue. Together with a team of local and international partners, we aim to break the cycle of sexual abuse through education, awareness, and the hope of the gospel.

Sexual abuse is one of the least recognized human rights abuses in the world. In Vanuatu, abuse is often normalized by cultural expectations, and shame and silence prevent victims from speaking out. Keep Safe seeks to change this. By working through schools, we provide children and teachers with the knowledge, tools, and courage to speak up and protect themselves.

Our Approach
The program combines practical education with a gospel-centered message:

• Children learn to identify their private parts and understand that their bodies belong to them alone.

• They learn that no one—family member or otherwise—has the right to touch them inappropriately.

• We teach them to seek help when needed, reinforcing that their voice matters.

• Ultimately, we point children to Jesus as their safe place, helping them build resilience and hope.

Teachers are also trained to be safe, supportive figures who can continue teaching the program in schools, ensuring the program's impact is sustainable.

Breaking the Cycle of Silence
The Keep Safe program doesn't stop at children. We seek to empower women in society by helping them recognize their value and voice, rooted in the truth that every person is made in God's image. Research shows that when women are given authority over their own lives and bodies, communities experience less violence, less poverty, and greater justice. We also engage boys and young men to teach respect, healthy boundaries, and acceptable behavior—addressing the root of the problem for future generations.

Impact and Change
Exposure to new ideas and open conversation is already creating change. Teachers and principals who previously viewed sexual abuse as taboo have begun embracing the importance of education:

• "In our culture, the topic of sexual abuse is taboo. No one talks about it directly or openly. It's important that we educate the children so they know their rights."

• "After today's lesson, I feel more equipped to teach this."

• "This can bring a change to our nation by opening children's minds and helping teachers as well."

Keep Safe aims to raise a generation of Ni-Vanuatu who understand their identity in Christ and can help create homes, schools, and communities that are safe and healthy.