Rape Hurts Foundation (RHF)

Rape Hurts Foundation (RHF) is a survivor-led organization founded in 2008 by Hellen Lunkuse, who was assaulted at age 11 while fetching water. Today, RHF serves survivors of gender-based violence, human trafficking, child marriage, and modern-day slavery in Uganda's Busoga region—one of the country's poorest areas.

Our mission is to empower women and children to take control of their lives by raising awareness and protecting their human rights, providing healthcare, and fostering entrepreneurship. Our vision is a world where women and children realize their full human rights, health, and social-economic potential.

We provide safe shelters, a school for over 500 vulnerable children, a vocational training centre, legal aid, and economic empowerment programs. Volunteers are the heartbeat of our organization. They serve as mentors, teachers, counsellors, and community mobilizers. They show up when funding is scarce and hope is fragile. They remind survivors they are not alone.

When you volunteer with RHF, you are not just giving your time. You are becoming part of a movement that refuses to let violence define a child's future. You are standing with survivors as they rebuild their lives. You are helping a girl return to school, a woman start a business, and a family find safety.

Whether you can offer a few hours online or commit to a longer placement in Uganda, there is a place for you here. Together, we can end gender-based violence and create a future where every woman and child can thrive.