As part of the #BeTheBeacon initiative and the United Nations 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, WanderSafe announced a landmark partnership with the Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) — a Lagos-based organization dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual violence, domestic abuse, and human trafficking across Nigeria.
Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru and the WARIF Mission
Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru, a physician, TEDx speaker, and the founder of WARIF, established the organization in 2016 in response to the staggering rates of sexual assault affecting Nigerian women and girls. WARIF implements a holistic approach to gender-based violence (GBV) — combining direct intervention for survivors with preventive education programs that aim to reduce incidence at the community level.
Dr. Kemi joined the #BeTheBeacon launch virtually from London, addressing dignitaries and guests gathered at Tattersalls Club in Sydney for the campaign's inaugural event.
Shakti Beacon Donations
Central to the partnership was WanderSafe's donation of 150 Shakti personal safety devices to five Nigerian NGOs serving women and girls on the front lines of the domestic and sexual violence crisis. The recipient organizations included:
- Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) - Project Alert Nigeria - Dorothy Njemanze Foundation - Braveheart Initiative for Youth and Women (BHI) - The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Team
The Shakti devices provide a non-violent, discreet method for vulnerable individuals to signal for help — a critical tool in environments where calling for assistance openly may not be safe.
The Impact Study
WanderSafe, with the assistance of the Nigerian High Commission in Canberra, commenced an impact study examining the effectiveness of technology and community-based interventions for Nigerian women and girls. The study aimed to document how personal safety technology could reduce both the frequency and severity of gender-based violence incidents over a 90-day pilot period.
Ms. Inimfon Etuk, founder of She Forum Africa and WanderSafe Goodwill Ambassador to Africa, played a central role in facilitating the partnership. Ms. Etuk had previously collaborated with WanderSafe CEO Stephenie Rodriguez during a 2019 visit to Lagos, where Rodriguez spoke on UN SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) at the HIVE Africa forum.
The UN 16 Days of Activism
The #BeTheBeacon campaign was timed to coincide with the UN Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women on November 25, 2021 — the opening day of the annual 16 Days of Activism. During this period, participants worldwide commit to "Orange the World," raising awareness and demanding action to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.
The World Health Organization had issued urgent calls to address what it termed "the Shadow Pandemic" — the dramatic increase in domestic violence driven by COVID-19 lockdowns and the diversion of resources away from at-risk populations in developing nations.
A Personal Mission
For WanderSafe CEO Stephenie Rodriguez, the WARIF partnership carried deep personal significance. During her 2019 trip to Lagos, Rodriguez contracted cerebral malaria — a life-threatening mosquito-borne illness that resulted in a two-week coma, over a year of hospitalization, and 36 surgeries. Her commitment to the mission of impacting a billion lives through safety technology remained unwavering throughout her recovery.
The #BeTheBeacon initiative and the WARIF partnership represent a core WanderSafe principle: safety technology must reach the people who need it most, regardless of geography or economic circumstance. When women and girls can access the tools to protect themselves, entire communities benefit.
Stay safe. Stay informed. Stay connected.