Become A Daya Ambassador

Sania had been experiencing verbal and emotional abuse through her 5 years of marriage, she felt trapped but didn’t know how or where to seek help. Outwardly, her life seemed normal but in private it was painful. One day, Sania was invited by her friend for a social event at her house. Her friend had recently started volunteering at Daya and wanted to educate her friends about domestic violence. At the event, a Daya staff member gave a short presentation about domestic violence and Daya’s free services. During the presentation, Sania wondered whether the presenter was talking about her situation because it matched what she had been experiencing. She didn’t know that this type of help was available. For the first time, Sania saw that people she knew were openly discussing something she had been hiding for many years. Her friend encouraged everyone to support Daya and help victims by referring them to call Daya’s confidential helpline. After the event, Sania felt empowered to call Daya and eventually did. During her first phone call, Sania told the client advocate that she learned about Daya’s services at a recent Daya presentation.

Sania’s experience is one that has been repeated multiple times. Community awareness about domestic violence and Daya’s services contributes to referrals for victims of domestic violence. Community referral is the leading method of how a victim of domestic violence seeks help. To help us increase this awareness and break the stigma around domestic violence, we have the Daya Ambassador program where dedicated volunteers and community supporters commit to hosting informational sessions at their homes, community centers, and places of worship. The Daya Ambassador encourages their community to learn, openly discuss, and refer people for services. The attendees of the event often take it forward to their respective friends and community, spreading the information exponentially over time. Through this grassroots approach, Daya Ambassadors further Daya’s mission and ensure we are reaching everyone in our community while de-stigmatizing domestic violence.

To become a Daya Ambassador email Pam Otal, Daya's Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator, at pam@dayahouston.org.