In Her Stride 2024: Threads of Resilience is a tribute to the unbreakable spirit of survivors of violence. In collaboration with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts UAS (NAFA) Fashion Design Students and New2U Thrift Shop, an initiative of the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO), pre-loved fabrics and materials once donated by the community have been transformed into one-of-a-kind fashion pieces embodying stories of resilience, hope, and renewal.
NAFA UAS Fashion Design students have reimagined these materials into fashion statements that go beyond aesthetics, reflecting the personal journeys of survivors who have endured violence. Each design is paired with a survivor’s story, giving voice to their experiences of survival, recovery, and empowerment. These narratives speak of inner strength, the bravery required to escape violence, and the hope for a brighter, more secure future.
In the beginning, I was a newlywed, excited to start a new life in Singapore with my husband. Though I was far from home and my English was poor, I believed we would build a life filled with love. But over time, everything changed. My husband, once loving, became distant and abusive, both emotionally and physically. Isolated in a foreign land with no money or support, I endured years of his control, believing things might improve.
One day, during an argument, he pushed me down a flight of stairs in front of our son. That moment shattered the illusion that things could get better. I realised I needed to leave to protect my children.
Reaching out to a Family Service Centre, I found safety at SCWO’s Star Shelter, where my children and I stayed for three years. I received counselling, took English and computer courses, and eventually filed for divorce.
Today, I am the sole breadwinner, working as a manager in a prestigious retail store. We’ve moved into a small HDB unit, and though life isn’t easy, we are healing. The past no longer holds us back; instead, it has made us resilient. I dream of giving my children a brighter future, and for the first time in years, I believe it’s possible. This is our life now—stronger and filled with hope.
Designer Soh Ray Chel’s garment, featuring a wet look design, draws inspiration from the harrowing experience of a domestic abuse survivor. The wet look symbolises the emotional and physical compression survivors often feel, as if being weighed down and suffocated by their circumstances. The fabric clings tightly, mirroring the suffocating grip of fear and control, yet the garment also reflects resilience as it glistens, suggesting the survivor’s inner strength and ability to endure. The design serves as a powerful visual representation of both the heaviness of the past and the survivor’s unwavering resolve to rise above it.
How can you make a difference?
By supporting In Her Stride 2024: Threads of Resilience, you contribute directly to the programmes and services that make a difference in survivors’ lives. Your donations help fund essential services provided by SCWO, including safe shelter at the Star Shelter, counselling, legal assistance, and skills training programmes. These services are crucial in helping survivors regain their independence and rebuild their futures, one step at a time.
Your support ensures that survivors not only recover but are equipped with the resources they need to create a stable and hopeful future. Each donation contributes to life-saving services—whether it’s providing a safe place to stay, trauma counselling, or the tools to achieve financial independence.
All proceeds will support SCWO’s operating cost, programmes, and services.
Provides a survivor with one therapy session to help her heal from the trauma of her abuse
Pays for a survivor to attend two workshops that will help them find and keep jobs
Provides food and drinks for a festive celebration for 20 women and children
Provides nutritious meals for 20 survivors for an entire week
Impact Statements are for illustration purposes only. Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) will allocate donations based on the most pressing needs, adhering to the standards and guidelines set forth as an Institution of Public Character (IPC).
HOW TO DONATE?
PAYNOW
Please scan the QR Code in your App or enter UEN No: S80SS0026C.
Bank Transfer
Beneficiary Name: Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations
Bank Name: DBS Bank Ltd, Raffles Link branch
Bank Code: 7171
Branch Code: 033
Auto Save Bank A/c No: 033-012913-0
Swift code: DBSSSGSG
