Women's Initiative Network Wichita

We provide women survivors of domestic abuse with educational and employment opportunities

Survivor Stories

Lanna

by

Lanna

With two children, Lanna was in a relationship with her abusive boyfriend for over six years. Leaving, Lana and the children moved into a domestic violence shelter for six weeks, working to secure stable, safe housing. With the help of the shelter, she was able to get into Step Stones for transitional housing. Within a few months, Lanna heard about WIN and shortly after was accepted into our program.
There were many challenges to overcome before Lanna was able to start work, including the lack of funds to get a new identification and re-certification of a CNA license. WIN was able to provide funding for both. In addition to overcoming these barriers, Lanna was working on healing. She stated, “WIN helped me cope with my anxiety and helped me see I had a bright future.” WIN was able to help Lann develop job interview skills, polish her resume, and guide her to a job fair. Shortly after the job fair, Lanna receive an offer letter from a local hospital earning twice the hourly wage as other jobs.
This is a game changer for Lanna. She is grateful to WIN for all the support, including finding the funding to purchase two pairs of scrubs and a gas card until she earns her first paycheck. But most importantly, Lanna has the confidence and healing to more forward with a brighter future for herself and two beautiful children that deserve a brighter future also.
We are very proud of Lanna and are looking forward to seeing her thrive and grow in the new position.

Give Help

Heather

by

Heather
Heather

Heather was in an abusive marriage for 4 years. She had three children 2, 3, and a 10 with special needs. Heather was able to leave her abusive relationship with the support and help of family in May 2019. She moved in with her parents and started therapy to heal from her trauma. In July 2019, Heather heard about WIN through her brother who is a lawyer. Heather started her journey with WIN in July 2019. Heather was lost and was trying to find herself again. Heather thrived at WIN and learned who she was again. SHE FOUND HER VOICE! Heather received the Carina P. Michel Memorial Education Fund to get her GED with Kansel. She started working on her GED in December and is continued to work to achieve her goal. WIN was able to help Heather polish her resume and she worked with Human Relations (HR) mentors to enhance her employability. An attorney’s office contacted WIN looking for an office administrator. The staff at WIN knew that Heather was ready and has the skills they were looking for. WIN and HR mentors worked with Heather doing mock interviews before the big day. SHE WAS READY! Every time there was an obstacle in her way, she would just smile and say “I got this.” Heather had an interview and then was called to come back for a 2nd interview. On February 13, 2020, Heather came into the executive director office and said “I got the job and thank you for believing in me.” Heather started her new adventure on Monday. We are so proud of her and wish her the best.

Amy

by

Amy had a job in banking and beer (okay, not at the same time), however, through a domestic violence situation lost everything. Referred by the Family Crisis Center, Amy started a new journey through Wichita Women’s Initiative Network (WIN).
At WIN, Amy re-built her self-esteem through working in the program and being with other women who faced the same challenges. Amy stated, “I was surprised to feel so comfortable at WIN because it is such a caring place. It was okay there to share my darkest secrets and start healing.”
In partnership with WIN, Amy was able to enroll in a unique manufacturing training program offered at Breakthrough (Episcopal Social Services). The four-week training provided both classroom and hands-on experience at Martin Interconnect Services. For Amy, it gave her the opportunity to build up working from part-time to full-time. Amy stated, “I loved learning a new skill and thought that Leonor (the Breakthrough instructor) was a great leader. She was there for the ‘right reasons’ to help me be successful.” At the end of December, Amy graduated to enter a full-time job at Martin Interconnect Services, where she loves being a part of their team. Final words from Amy are, “I feel 100% better in my self-esteem and starting this new phase of my life.”

Jenny Lu

by

Although Jenny Lu had a master’s degree in accounting from China, she was about to finish her American bachelor’s degree in accounting at Wichita State University. With each completed semester, her husband became angrier with her success. Jenny Lu made the decision to leave him and continue with her journey to success, despite the threats. Whenever the husband had visitation rights, a police officer had to be present because of his anger and abuse. Jenny Lu received stable housing at Harbor House and was referred to WIN. Once in the program, she thrived in building her confidence and grow an even stronger commitment to becoming successful. Through connections made by the WIN staff, Jenny Lu was able to secure a job with a small business who needed a part-time bookkeeper and was willing to work around Jenny Lu’s class schedule. She worked there for a year, while finishing her accounting degree. With diploma in hand, Jenny Lu trained her replacement at the small business and now works at Koch Industry in the accounting department. WIN was able to not only build Jenny Lu’s confidence, but help her work through legal and financial challenges, as well as making work connections to assist Jenny Lu transition to a career building job.

Elizabeth

by

Elizabeth Success Story
Elizabeth. CNA

Elizabeth married a young man she met in college, and soon after became a mother of two girls. Financial and personal stresses caused trouble for the young couple, and the relationship turned controlling and abusive. Although she had few financial resources of her own, Elizabeth left with her daughters to escape the physical and emotional abuse.

At the recommendation of family, she turned to WIN to help rebuild her self-confidence and heal emotionally. It was at WIN that she was encouraged to set and accomplish goals – and decided to enroll in vocational training to become a certified nursing assistant. WIN’s volunteer tutors helped her with her studies during the paid study time the program offers, and soon she was able to pass the state CNA licensing exam.

Now, she is graduated from the WIN program and works full-time at Wichita’s Catholic Care Center, a large senior care facility with good pay, benefits, and opportunity for advancement. Her future is bright and she is living independently with her daughters, in a safe and stable home.

Life as a single mom still has its challenges, including dealing with the needs of her daughter’s learning disability, but she says, “I know now that whatever comes my way, I can handle it – and by doing that, I’m setting a good example for my girls.”

WIN launches #ForcedToHide awareness campaign

by

Women survivors of domestic violence have no reason to be ashamed. Yet many of them feel “forced to hide” from people who would judge them for their bruises and scars, and from their abusers who too often threaten them long after a relationship has ended.

That’s the message behind WIN’s new domestic violence awareness campaign, #ForcedToHide.

The hashtag is part of advertising appearing on Wichita city buses, billboards, and in other public places frequented by women who may need WIN’s services.

While the campaign initially is to inform women of the help available to them through WIN, it also is designed to remind everyone of the prevalence of domestic violence, said Amber Beck, WIN account manager, who conceived of the campaign.

“One out of three women have been experienced domestic violence themselves – or know someone who has,” said Beck. “We want to shine a light on this ongoing problem so that someday, no woman will have to say she is ‘forced to hide.’”

Beck invites everyone to show their support for WIN and the women it serves by taking a photo of themselves — or of someone else — wearing a mask or otherwise hiding from plain view, then posting it to their social media accounts with #ForcedToHide.  She asks everyone to challenge their friends to do the same. Be sure to like your favorite #ForcedToHide photos and share them to WIN’s Facebook page, facebook.com/wichitawomensinitiativenetwork.

This advertising campaign is funded in part through a Kansas Health Foundation Capacity Grant, received by WIN in October 2017 to raise public awareness of WIN’s services to low-income women survivors of domestic violence.

New mural tells WIN survivor story

by

Local artist Dale Shubert, with the mural she created at the WIN offices.

 

When Dale Shubert saw the freshly painted but bare walls of WIN’s workroom, she instantly thought, “What a great place for a mural!”

Volunteers, including her son, Joseph, daughter, Hannah, and Wichita State University student Anais Bardin, spent many long days carefully painting the WIN offices in advance of its 20th anniversary open house in October 2017. In the process, they created the perfect canvas for Shubert’s mural.

Shubert, a busy local artist, was eager for her latest work to tell the stories of the Women of WIN – all survivors of domestic violence. The result is a wall full of images that reflect the women’s “challenges and dreams” she said.

The mural captures women of many ethnic backgrounds and ages on their journeys from pain and despair to soaring hope and freedom. It includes images of ravens – the symbol of impending change – and of butterflies – the symbol of change realized.

For Shubert, who grew up in an abusive home, this project was a way to make up for the helplessness she felt as a child.

“I couldn’t help Mom as much as I wanted, so now I try to give back in her memory to women who have gone through the same thing.”

In the process, she hopes she’ll inspire other domestic abuse survivors to “feel emboldened to break away and make a change for the better.”

“It takes a huge leap of faith for these women to step away from their abusers, one that I could never get my mom to make,” she says.

You’re invited to see the mural for yourself. Just give us a call at 262-3960 and tell us when you’d like to come. Our offices, at 510 E. Third, are open during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 

Shenike: ‘WIN was my stepping stone’

by

Shenike was looking for something new when she left Texas to join friends living in northern Wisconsin. She quickly settled into that new home, finding work as a waitress. And in no time, she found a doting boyfriend, who immediately began showering her with kind words and gifts.

The relationship moved “real fast,” but within a month of moving in with her, he turned from doting to controlling and abusive. He falsely accused her of cheating on him with one of her restaurant co-workers.

“I ended up with black eyes,” she says. “Then he’d buy me makeup to cover up my bruises.”

Her co-workers and neighbors noticed the bruises and tried to get her help, urging her to call the police.

Finally, Shenike told him she was leaving. He responded by throwing her to the ground and beating her with her own shoe.  Then he grabbed her keys and stole her car.

Shinike packed a bag and caught the next bus for Wichita, where she had family. She was referred to WIN for help getting on her feet in the new city.

“WIN was my stepping stone,” she says. “They helped me find an apartment, taught me how to manage my money, and encouraged me to enroll in training to become a certified nursing assistant.”

But more than that, they taught her to spot the warning signs that a relationship may turn abusive, and that “I needed to love myself before looking for love in someone else.”

Now graduated from the WIN program, she is working as a CNA and studying at Butler Community College to become a registered nurse. And, she’s happily married to a “very sweet man” who encourages her, worries about her, and cooks for her.

“But I do the dishes!” she adds with a laugh.

Shinike says she likes the changes she’s seeing in herself as a result of the WIN program.

“I’m happy now, and I’m not scared to ask for help if I need it,” she says. “My family is happy for me, too. They tell me all the time that they’re proud of me!”