CAMELEON and its story
CAMELEON and its story
CAMELEON is an international solidarity association created in 1997, which develops a global approach to act on the causes and effects of sexual violence against children and adolescents.
Vision
CAMELEON aspires to a world without sexual violence.
In a world where sexual violence is insidious, trivialized, taboo and rarely punished, fueled by the culture of silence linked to ignorance, fear, shame or denial, it is urgent to act.
Identity
“I chose the name “CAMELEON” because it conveys the meaning of our mission: like the chameleon which changes color to adapt to its environment, we help children to transform themselves physically and mentally, by the way from exclusion to a better future.
– Laurence Ligier, Founding Director of CAMELEON
Promise
« Changing colors, changing lives”
By moving from a hostile environment to a caring and secure living place, children transform over the years. Like our multicolored CAMELEON, they advance slowly but surely, hesitating, sometimes tipping over but never falling.
- We build protected places dedicated to victims to help them overcome their trauma, and use it as a force to rebuild themselves. We offer them the cocoon necessary to prepare for their metamorphosis.
- We aim to transform minds and behaviors. We work to evolve society and change mentalities with the aim of protecting children.
Children are at the heart of the action: change is made by them, for them and around them.
Mission
CAMELEON develops a global approach to act on the causes and effects of sexual violence against children and adolescents.
- PROTECT AND SUPPORT victims of sexual violence in the Philippines by supporting them and their families on the path to resilience.
- PROMOTE the autonomy of beneficiaries and the socio-economic development of families in their communities.
- TRAIN and SUPPORT beneficiaries so that they become involved as spokespersons and active supporters of the association.
- RAISING AWARENESS among the general public, particularly young people in the Philippines and Europe, in order to raise awareness of children’s rights and free the voice on sexual violence.
- ADVOCACY with institutions and the media in order to campaign for Children’s rights and against sexual violence at the local, national and international level.
Values
DIGNITY
- We claim sexual assault as the most serious attack on dignity because it affects the integrity of the person, at the heart of their privacy.
- We offer victims the means to regain their dignity so that they first respect themselves, then have others respect them.
- We fight for the dignity of everyone: we respect every individual regardless of their age, gender, culture, religion or condition. We adapt our actions to the local context.
COURAGE
- Need for courage, strength, will and time for children on the path to their reconstruction, to not abandon the fight against their attackers until recognition of victim status and their rights.
- Courage of all those involved in this sensitive project in the face of the moral and physical suffering of children who have experienced the unspeakable.
- Courage and determination of founder Laurence Ligier to launch into the fight against sexual violence in the Philippines, considered a taboo subject, and risk her life to defend those of abused and disadvantaged children.
ENGAGEMENT
- We are committed to doing everything we can to protect, care, rebuild, educate and prevent. We support children, families and communities on the path to resilience and autonomy. Our salaried and volunteer teams are fully committed to the beneficiaries and the cause.
- Sponsors make a long-term financial, moral and human commitment.
- The commitment of beneficiaries who in turn become activists in the fight for Children’s rights, or for education in good health practices, with the ultimate objective of reducing domestic and sexual violence.
RESPONSABILITY
- Our vocation is to make the children and their families we support independent and responsible. It is also about listening, acting, freeing up speech and encouraging as many citizens as possible to mobilize.
- For the implementation of our projects and the supervision of beneficiaries, we rely on a multidisciplinary, professional, expert and honest team.
- We guarantee transparency and the proper use of funds: we develop and evaluate our projects based on precise and measurable indicators.
Our story
Milestones since 1997
Creation of CAMELEON
Laurence Ligier was only 25 years old in 1997 when she created CAMELEON in the Philippines with Ellien Regondon. Since then, she has never stopped fighting to give substance to her project and support the development of the association.
Discover the story in details
At the age of 20, when she felt the need to be useful and give meaning to her life, Laurence Ligier flew to the Philippines to participate in a humanitarian mission organized by the Comité Enfance Philippines. In parallel with her law studies, each year she undertakes humanitarian missions, particularly in a rural community in the province of Aklan. The director of a Filipino association then suggested that she participate in an education program for underprivileged children in Iloilo. Laurence accepts, and spends a year in a slum with a family. There she will learn sharing and humility.
At the end of this experience, his Filipino colleagues asked him to find funds to help little street girls. Aware of the needs of the field, but also of its limits, Laurence returned to France to continue her studies. After a DEUG in sociology and a Bachelor of Law, she joined the 3A school, completed all her internships in the Philippines and obtained the Certificate of International Higher Studies in development management.
Determined, she then returned to the Philippines and mobilized with Ellien REGONDON to find the funds necessary to build the first reception center to help sexually abused little girls. They are the first victims of poverty and violence in this country. We are in 1997, the CAMELEON association was born.
Laurence Ligier then spent seven years there, directing and developing the CAMELEON center, located in Passi, on the Island of Panay. The association was quickly accredited by the Philippine Ministry of Social Affairs.
In 2004, it was time to return to France. Laurence opened the Paris office of CAMELEON, of which she became director and continued to fight with determination for the development of the association. She still travels two to three times a year to the Philippines for periods of two months, while taking care of CAMELEON’s external relations and its international deployment, via the creation of branches in Switzerland and Luxembourg, and partnerships in Belgium, Andorra, the United States and Singapore.
Disctinctions
- Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honor
- Knight of the National Order of Merit
- Philippine Presidency Award
- Clarins Woman of Heart Award
- Presidential Prize for Civics and Dedication to the Community
- Audacity Trophy
- People Asia Magazine Awards: Women of Style & Substance
Our governance
