Self-defence workshop equips Fourways women with vital safety skills
A community-driven initiative is helping women gain practical self-defence and emergency response knowledge while encouraging ongoing training and empowerment.
Forty women from across Fourways gathered for a free self-defence and safety awareness workshop hosted through a collaboration between QuanWessels Academy and the Tribe Martial Arts Foundation.
The workshop focused on equipping women with practical safety concepts, breakaway techniques, and basic life-saving medical knowledge designed to help them respond in emergencies.
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Co-founder Norman ‘Chef’ Wessels explained that the session is designed as an introductory workshop rather than a technical training class.
“This is a little workshop. I wouldn’t call it a class. They’re going through more concepts than actual technique right now because to get good and learn technique requires lots and lots of consistent training,” said Wessels.
He added that the goal is to introduce potentially life-saving principles. “We are giving them a taste of the concepts – basic principles of how to keep distance and how to break away. It’s about equipping them with something that, touch wood, God forbid, they never need to use.”
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Operations and partnerships manager Suzanne Fernandes said the initiative was created to address limited access to self-defence training in the community.
“We found that many people do not have access to self-defence training. We introduced a free workshop for women in the surrounding areas to create awareness about the importance of continuously learning to defend yourself and your family.”
@caxtonjoburgnorth Watch: Coaches from QuanWessels Academy guide women through practical self-defence techniques during an empowering workshop, teaching essential skills to help them stay safe and confident in real-life situations. Video: Ayanda Ntshingila #Fourways #Selfdefence ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North
The workshop was supported by sponsors and donors who provided gift packs, while participants also received the opportunity to train at the gym for free for one month to help reinforce their newly learned skills.
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