The Zonta Club of Baden-Baden, Germany, took action during the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign, combining community engagement and digital advocacy to raise awareness on domestic violence.

In collaboration with a local hardware store, four teams—each with two girls, two boys and a coach, including female carpenters—built four orange benches as anti-violence symbols. The store provided materials and workspace, while the wood department manager served as the umpire. One week before, participants attended a Zonta Says NO introduction to prepare for the project, which encouraged teamwork, awareness, and skill-building.

Alongside the bench project, the club launched a social media campaign featuring Matilda, a fictional character who asked local experts practical questions about domestic violence prevention and victim support.

Daily videos featured responses from social workers, police officers, women’s shelter representatives, youth welfare officers and town officials, highlighting available resources. The campaign ended with a farewell letter from a survivor to her abusive husband, delivering a powerful message on the effects of domestic violence.