Beautiful Dream Society’s primary focus is preventing human trafficking and rehabilitating its victims. There is a secondary mission that we feel strongly about, though—helping women recover from domestic violence.
A staggering 51% of African women are physically assaulted by their husbands. This culture is primarily rooted in tradition, where men are the breadwinners and women are the caretakers. Women are told to be submissive and to do as their husbands say. If they don’t, they pay the consequence.
Lizzie’s domestic violence survival story
Lizzie lived in constant fear for her life. Her husband routinely beat her, and she wasn’t sure how she’d survive.
Lizzie made her way to our anti-trafficking shelter and was immediately met with emotional support. BDS provides counseling, ministry, discipleship, and a compassionate community of judgment-free companions. Lizzie took part in Victory Church Maseru and became an active member of the women’s ministry.
How Lizzie turned her life around
Because of a generous partnership between Beautiful Dream Society and the International Organization of Migration, Lizzie was able to get skills training to provide for her future. She and other trafficking and gender-based violence survivors learned how to weave straw baskets and make organic cosmetics.
Lizzie used these valuable skills to start her own cosmetics business. She partnered with another BDS survivor to produce their first batch of skin-moisturizing petroleum jelly, glycerin, and perfumes.
Lizzie’s passion, strength, and dedication have helped her overcome many of the hardships new business owners face. She has established her brand and sold a high volume of products to the point that she now offers bulk pricing to resellers. Lizzie has conquered every challenge she has faced, and the BDS crew is incredibly proud of her accomplishments.
On the commemoration of the World Day Against Human Trafficking celebration in Lesotho, Lizzie and her partner received a chance to showcase their products to a broader market. Since then, they have been booked for cosmetic manufacturing training, teaching other women how to build a future for themselves.
Finding beauty in an ugly world
The Bible says, “God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
Although Lizzie has suffered, she is the first to acknowledge that her life is a true demonstration of the beauty of God’s work. Thanks to the love, healing, and trauma-informed recovery she received through Beautiful Dream Society, Lizzie is now able to inspire other women to survive.
We cannot wait to see what her future holds.