Raising Voices

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Frequently Asked Questions

All about SASA!

Is SASA! a curriculum?
Can I use SASA!?
How long does it take to implement?
Does Raising Voices provide technical assistance?
Will Raising Voices train my organization on SASA!?
Will Raising Voices fund my organization?
Can I just pick and choose a few activities from SASA!?
What impact will we have if my organization uses SASA!?
Is SASA! the first violence prevention methodology developed by Raising Voices?
Is SASA! a male-involvement approach?

SASA! is a community mobilization approach, not a curriculum. It uses multiple strategies and a variety of activities to work across the ecological model—or what we like to call the “circles of influence”—to engage individuals, couples and families; community leaders; and the groups and the institutions we all rely on.

SASA! works to create change at the community or population level—not only among those individuals directly involved in program activities.

SASA! is available for free use by any community or organization. We believe this is important to build the field of violence prevention and to support positive social change.

However, over the years, some organizations have used SASA! in ways that are unsafe and could do harm to women. Therefore, to access all of SASA! Together, an organization or community needs to commit to safe and ethical use before materials can be downloaded.

If both your organization and Raising Voices are able to agree on a technical assistance partnership, we will co-develop a memorandum of understanding prior to beginning our work together.

Otherwise, we require all organizations and individuals who would like full access to the SASA! Together methodology to sign up and agree to basic terms of use that can ensure safe and ethical violence against women prevention programming. While we are committed to open access and use for all of our materials, some groups have used SASA! in ways that have compromised women’s safety and the principles of ethical violence against women prevention programming.

To determine whether you are ready to effectively implement SASA! Together, please take our Suitability and Readiness Assessment here.

SASA! is a longer-term social norms change approach. It is not designed to be used for short campaigns or programming. We recommend at least three years to implement the SASA! Activist Kit, SASA! Faith or SASA! Together safely in communities.

Yes! Raising Voices partners with organizations and provides ongoing technical support through a “cohort model.” This is when several organizations interested in using SASA! go through a series of trainings together and receive remote and on-site technical support over the duration of their programming.

Raising Voices does not conduct one-off trainings for organizations. We have found this to be ineffective, costly and unsustainable. However, if you are interested in participating in a SASA! Together training, contact us and we will include you the next time we are planning a training as is feasible. Online training courses will soon be available to partner organizations.

We are also happy to have an initial discussion after you have reviewed the SASA! Together materials to help determine if the methodology is right for your organization.

Raising Voices is not a funding agency. We are unable to provide funds for SASA! implementation.

You can select specific activities or materials from SASA! However, you are not implementing the SASA! approach—meaning we cannot make any assumptions about impact. We caution groups against using SASA!’s provocative materials about power as stand-alone activities in communities. Working on violence against women is sensitive and requires support and care.

Impact will vary based on the intensity of implementation, the capacity of the organization using SASA!, the community’s existing knowledge and openness about violence against women, the community’s political context and many other factors. You can learn about SASA!‘s impact in Ugandan communities here.

No. Raising Voices published Mobilising Communities to Prevent Domestic Violence: A Resource Guide for Organisations in East and Southern Africa in 2003. SASA! builds on the resource guide and shares some key ideas while pioneering a new framework of power.

SASA! engages women and men, boys and girls. We believe everyone in a community is needed and important in creating social change.

While there are single-sex activities to allow women and men to have space for reflection and discussion, we do not use the language of male involvement because we don’t want to make women invisible on an issue that affects them the most!

The GBV Prevention Network

Who can be a member?
What are the benefits of membership?
What does it cost to become a member?
Is membership open to individuals or organizations?
How can I get involved as a member?
If I move on from my organization, can I still be a member?

Individuals and organizations based in the Horn, East and Southern Africa can be members of the GBV Prevention Network. Colleagues beyond our region are welcome to join as Friends of the Network. To learn more, send us an email at info@preventgbvafrica.org!

Network members have the opportunity to share and learn from each other, form friendships and solidarity, and contribute to building a powerful collective and movement dedicated to preventing violence against women.

Members also have access to a variety of events, processes, advocacy materials and regular information about key happenings and resources in the field of violence prevention.

Membership is free.

Membership is open to both individuals and organizations.

There are many ways to get involved in the Network:

  • Join or start a Thematic Action Group to take action on a specific issue or area related to violence against women.
  • Participate in the GBV Prevention Network’s regional 16 Days of Activism campaign every year from November 25 to December 10, keeping an eye out for announcements on the dissemination of the Network’s campaign. All members receive access to an electronic copy of the kit, and organizations can also apply to receive a hard copy of campaign materials.
  • Join the Network’s social media platforms to engage with other feminists around the region.
  • Join events hosted by the Network throughout the year, both online and in person. Activists and practitioners meet at skill-building workshops, Rethink & Re-energize processes, and other Network gatherings. We send out emails throughout the year when something special is coming up! If you have any ideas on collaboration, you can email info@preventgbvafrica.org

Absolutely! Be sure to update your profile (or register for an individual membership if you are not affiliated with an organization), and let us know what your new journey is!

Tools and Approaches

What tools and approaches has Raising Voices developed?
Can I access the tools?
What tools/approaches do you provide technical support on?

Raising Voices has developed multiple approaches and tools for preventing violence against women and violence against children.

Approaches related to violence against children include the Good School Toolkit.

Approaches related to violence against women include SASA! Together, SASA! Faith, the SASA! Activist KitMobilising Communities to Prevent Domestic Violence: A Resource Guide for Organisations in East and Southern Africa and Rethinking Domestic Violence: A Training Process for Community Activists.

Raising Voices and the GBV Prevention Network jointly developed Get Moving! and adapted In Her Shoes.

The majority of Raising Voices tools and approaches are available electronically on our website. For example, access the electronic version of SASA! Together here.

Select tools may also be available in hard copy; see the request form here.

The violence against women prevention team provides technical support on SASA! Together, SASA! Faith, and the SASA! Activist Kit worldwide. To express interest in technical assistance, please send us a message.

If you are a feminist organization in the Horn, East or Southern Africa, you can also contact the GBV Prevention Network to bring Get Moving! to your organization.