December 14, 2021
Province Invests In Healing Village for Women Affected By Trauma, Sexual Violence and Exploitation
– – –Clan Mothers Project Will Provide Restorative Programs For At-Risk Indigenous Women, Girls: Premier and Squires
Watch news conference
The Manitoba government is providing $3 million in funding to the Clan Mothers, a grassroots, Indigenous women-led organization to support the construction of a healing village, which will provide supports for women who have been victims of multi-generational trauma, sexual violence, sexual exploitation and human trafficking, Premier Heather Stefanson and Families Minister Rochelle Squires announced today.
“Our government is committed to working collaboratively with Indigenous and community-led organizations to advance reconciliation and healing to build a healthier, stronger and safer future for all Manitobans,” said Stefanson. “We are pleased to partner with Clan Mothers to support this Indigenous-led initiative that will provide a culturally safe space for at-risk women to heal and begin to create a secure future for themselves, their children and their family.”
Clan Mothers was founded in 2015 and is dedicated to solving systemic, multi-generational trauma in Indigenous communities. The group’s members have decades of experience working with thousands of women and girls, and incorporate Indigenous principles and beliefs into their work. The healing village will incorporate a traditional Indigenous matrilineal, land-based model of healing into a community environment focused on learning and developing skills that will help prepare the women for leaving the village.
“Clan Mothers Healing Village understands that healing and education must first begin within the heart, before the mind, while the current healing system seeks to heal the mind first,” said Elder Mae Louise Campbell, co-founder, Clan Mothers Healing Village. “As sexual exploitation and trafficking continue to be social injustices experienced by Indigenous women, it is time for a change. The healing village will use treatment models that incorporate Indigenous methodologies and we will revisit the long-standing Indigenous matrilineal model of healing."
The family-like environment will enable participants to develop relationships with elders and women with lived experience who are role models. Women accessing the programs will have opportunities to be involved in:
- spiritual work of Indigenous teachings, traditions and medicines;
- emotional work through peer support, sharing circles, group sessions and individual dialogue;
- physical work such as gardening, building, working the land and fitness;
- activities to acquire new skills, upgrade education and develop work experience; and
- community work involving mentorship, leadership, social enterprise and contributions to the overall interests of the village.
“At this site, the collective insights and sharing of experiential voices, Indigenous elders, leaders, partners and allies will combine to create a foundation for meaningful transformation and growth,” said Squires. “This program is sure to provide women with healing and growth as they prepare to return to their lives.”
The first phase of the project included site inspections, land surveys and the building of ceremonial structures. The plan for the second phase is to break ground next spring, including construction of living quarters and kitchen areas, the premier noted.
“Addressing violence against Indigenous women and girls, and incidences of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, is a top priority for our government and we are committed to taking a whole-of-government approach to advance solutions,” said Sport, Culture and Heritage Minister Cathy Cox, minister responsible for the status of women. “This project – which responds to growing community needs for intensive, long-term, culturally based support – aligns with Manitoba’s Gender-Based Violence Framework’s key objectives of prevention, support and intervention.”
The premier and ministers noted the investment supports the implementation of government strategies on sexual exploitation and human trafficking, gender-based violence, homelessness, mental health, addictions and poverty. The work also directly supports at least 12 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action and nine calls to justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
For more information on the healing village, visit https://clanmothers.ca.
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