“Silence is the greatest ally of a perpetrator, the greatest enemy of the victim.”

-Hajah Kandeh

The Do Tell Foundation, is a registered non-profit, founded by the vision of one woman who believes true healing of trauma begins only when we have the courage or are brave enough to own our story.

Who am I?

Hello, my name is Hajah Kandeh and I am the founder of the Do Tell Foundation, an organization which aims to heal, empower, and provide a future for children whose lives are shattered by sexual and physical violence through a comprehensive, holistic approach.

Why Do Tell, why me, and why now? I was abused and violated as a child sexually, mentally, and physically. I had no one to protect me and I did not have a safe space to ask for help and my silence nearly cost me my life. I spent decades working on healing and, through grace, I have been able to do so.

…my silence nearly cost me my life

Unfortunately, my story is not unique. According to the United Nations, half of the women in my country of birth, Sierra Leone, have experienced violence. It is so prevalent that the president declared it a national emergency as reported by the Washington Post.

The suffering and atrocities I’ve experienced are still prevalent in today's world and, since the pandemic, the reported cases of child abuse increased by 20% and by 74% in a five year period according to this article. They also report that the average age of  children who disclose their trauma is between 7-9 years old but they, sadly, endure years of abuse before disclosing it to anyone. Children most often do not tell for many complicated reasons. I tell my story not because it is easy for me to do so, but because it is what I must do to sound the alarm that this could be happening to your child or the child of someone you know and to give a voice to those who have been rendered voiceless. 

I created this foundation so that no other child will experience the horrors I experienced, so that we as a society can all do our part to preserve the innocence of children who deserve nothing less than to be given a chance to grow up safe, whole, happy and fulfilled.

Thank you for taking time to hear our cause and for being a part of our community and journey.

Sincerely,

Hajah Kandeh

Our Programs Include:

  • Therapy

    Therapy/counseling to address trauma, advocacy to help speak up for victims who are unable to do so

  • Advocacy

    We strive to advocate for victims and educate those around us on the signs to recognize a child at risk.

  • Support Groups

    Support groups that foster safe spaces for connection

  • Survivor Activism & Involvement

    Activism which empowers victims to participate in their own healing process

  • Education

    Education to help parents and care-givers become aware of the signs both before and after abuse

  • Prevention

    Prevention which involves local and global campaigns to help bring awareness to this scourge of our times

Children we’ve helped and continue to support

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To ensure success, we aim to create opportunities for the children to learn a trade or skill that will help them gain independence and self-sufficiency since it is a known fact that poverty is inextricably linked to sexual exploitation in poor communities. We support each community dependent on it’s most prevalent need. We also provide micro-loans and financial support for parents or guardians to engage in petty trading or farming to ensure financial stability for the family.

Our goal is to create healthier communities which will in turn minimize the global impact of sexual abuse and trauma.

We will accomplish this goal with the support of generous donors such as yourself by creating programs, affiliations, and events that offer our members the resources needed to heal, grow, and thrive.

We completely rely on community support. None of our efforts would be possible without supportive donors, volunteers, and advocates like yourself.

We cannot do this alone.

Would you consider making a donation to help us further our mission and create opportunities for the children suffering and living a half-life due to the atrocities they’ve experienced and the lack of resources to ensure a more hopeful future?

Share our mission with organizations and world changers who are invested in the well-being of children. It takes a village.

We are fully committed to our mission in working to make the world safe for all children. We are very grateful to those who believe in  this goal. Any and all support is sincerely appreciated and recognized.

Please Donate and Support

More ways to donate:

Zelle at dotellfoundation@gmail.com

Cash App at $DoTellFoundation

The Do Tell Foundation is a registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit and your donation is tax-deductible.