There are 30 Armadale survivors currently registered on our programme. We have not been able to locate the remaining 23 survivors, however we expect that the numbers of registered girls will grow as more of the survivors become aware of the value of the project from the girls who are in attendance.

The young women range between the ages of 18 to 22 years, and there are, to date, 16 children born to the registered survivors. 

A number of the young women have issues relating to nearly losing their lives in the fire. Some suffer because of their physical wounds and severe skin burns. Others are burdened by witnessing their friends burning to death.  Some have survivor guilt, and, rightly or wrongly, some feel responsible for the deaths of their fellow wards. All identify deep emotional issues that existed before the fire, resulting from sexual, physical and emotional abuse, that have been amplified by the fire and the subsequent trauma. These issues are still the cause of extreme challenge in their everyday lives. As one of them said in a SMS text message, “we life mash up” (our lives are mashed up).