The ELLE Foundation: In Iloilo, Philippines, the Cameleon Association takes in, cares for and rehabilitates young girls who have suffered sexual violence

On average, they stay at the Cameleon centre for three years and are then reintegrated into their families. If that isn’t possible, they’re placed with a foster family.

To help families – especially mothers – assume their full role, the association monitors them regularly and offers them training in ways to generate a small income.

That’s the case with Jenny, age 50. To make sure her children could go to school, she asked Cameleon for help and was offered training as a cook.

“I’m lucky to have this support from Cameleon, because now I can send my kids to secondary school. I’ve very proud of that. During the culinary training, I received a lot of recipes, especially for cookies. I decided to try to start selling some of them on the street, and it worked. Then I asked the city for permission to set up a small kiosk in front of the University of Bingawan. Every day I offer the things I make to students, professors and passers-by. I’m getting more and more customers! I earn a good living, even better than my husband. I’m very proud that I can help to improve my family’s day-to-day life in this way.”

A partner since 2011, the ELLE Foundation continues to support Cameleon in 2013.