Choma Café provides a safe space for young girls
MALVERN – Café with a socio-economic purpose
By Busi Vilakazi
Khanyisani, meaning “light up”, is a non-profit organisation based in Malvern that provides health and social services to impoverished communities.
Khanyisani Home Based Care was established in 2003 by Artwell Dlamini.
On September 29, Choma Dreams Café was launched at Khanyisani specifically for girls aged between 10 and 25 years old.
The Malvern café is one of 40 internet cafés of its kind across SA. It forms part of an initiative by non-profit organisation HIV South Africa.
The project aims to reach vulnerable adolescent girls and young women and make them aware of HIV prevention and social asset building programmes in a safe, fun, girl-friendly environment.
“Due to socio-economic factors, more than 2 500 women, aged 15 to 25, are infected with HIV every week in our country. That is four times more than their male counterparts. It is clear that existing HIV prevention programmes are failing to reach this group,” said Jean Armstrong, CEO of HIV SA.
The cafés are funded by the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) and the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project through the Dreams Innovation Challenge.
Dlamini said he is happy that Khanyisani is part of the programme.
“As an NGO that is aimed at helping the community, especially orphaned and vulnerable children, we are happy and pleased to have this café operating from Khanyisani.
“Choma Café will benefit the young girls in a big way. Vulnerable communities have limited safe spaces in which to come together and engage in ways to make life better,” said Dlamini.
He said Khanyisani wants girls to associate the Choma (meaning “friend”) Café with friendship.
The café is a modified shipping container and is equipped with laptops and a mobile Wi-Fi internet connection.
It also has solar panels, making it both sustainable and eco-friendly.
The Choma cafés aim to act as plug-in points for skills development as well as provide awareness of HIV prevention and other health programmes.
The cafés have facilitators currently receiving training.
The café will officially open on November 1 and its services are free.
“We encourage young girls to come to the café because it’s here to assist them. It will cost them nothing to come and receive knowledge, support, and assistance,” said Dlamini.
Contact Dlamini on 084 734 7343 or email khanyisani@yahoo.com
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