S.O.U.L sisters give women a safe space

A desire to help young, pregnant women in the community 10 years ago has turned into a full-time role for Rockingham sisters Patty Powell and Eileen Giles.

In February 2009, S.O.U.L Inc established its House of Hope, with the first woman moving into the home soon after.

A decade on, Ms Powell said the organisation had helped a countless number of women, housing them and their children when they had nowhere else to go.

“We have had women come to us for a range of different reasons, be that homelessness or domestic violence, and we have women referred to us through hospital social workers,” she said.

Providing a place to stay for expectant and new mothers, S.O.U.L equips them with skills for once they move back into the community through their Village Women program, however there is no criteria for how long each mother and her child can stay in the organisations two homes or independent units.

Ms Powell said there were a range of places for women under 25 who find themselves pregnant with nowhere to go, however for those women over 25, they often “fell through the cracks”.

“From what I hear, there are not many places like this,” she said.

“There would be more kids going into care if we didn’t have the House of Hope.”

For expectant and new mothers, S.O.U.L also has a community wardrobe, where mothers can source free clothes for their babies.

Ms Giles said that the organisation had proved itself to be a mainstay in the community.

“We have also been really supported well by the wider community,” she said.