Siyakholwa Support Care Centre focus on rebuilding GBV survivors’ businesses
NPO looks to raise funds to empower GBV victims.
Siyakholwa Support Care Centre, a Germiston-based NPO, focuses on rebuilding looted businesses that were destroyed last year in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
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The focus is to help rebuild gender-based violence (GBV) survivors’ businesses to curb the number of survivors returning to their perpetrators for financial support.
These survivors are equipped with entrepreneurship skills and training through the NPO’s GBV Survivors Economic Recovery Programme.
Through the programme, they are provided with business materials and tools to start their small-scale businesses.
Beauty Munyu, the founder of Siyakholwa Support Care Centre, said in 2021 the Solidarity fund joined them to establish 121 businesses in Gauteng.
She said their offices are based in Germiston, but they work nationwide to help impoverished communities.
“When businesses were looted and vandalised in Vosloorus and Rondebult, most of their beneficiaries’ businesses were also looted,” said Munyu.
“One of our mobile bakeries, organisational banners and training desks were looted.
“In KwaZulu-Natal, our vendors’ small businesses were looted and vandalised, leaving them without income. The situation demands the survivors go back to their GBV perpetrators since there is no income.
“To prevent this, we are raising funds to rebuild businesses that were affected during the unrest. Our shelters are full too.”
Through the programme, the NPO aims to raise R250 000 in the next month.
“With the support of companies, we replaced items that were looted, but more is needed to balance the crisis. We aim to raise R96 000 for 20 poultry farm equipment, 10 stoves worth R32 000, 10 training desks at R22 000 and 20 mini-shop containers worth R100 000,” said Munyu.
To promote the spirit of giving, the NPO has partnered with ThundaFund and Standard Bank.
Munyu said every cent donated into the account linked with Standard Bank, the bank doubles the amount.
“We have R19 000 raised, and the public donated R7 000. The rest was raised by our partners,” said Munyu.
She also said they are looking to help one of their beneficiaries in Germiston CBD who makes a living by selling fruits and vegetables.
“He ran his business very successfully from last year. All reports were submitted, but there were school fees to settle under his name. As a result, his business suffered a knock, as he settled his school fees,” said Munyu.
To support the NPO, contact Munyu on 068 168 5486 or visit www.siyakholwasupportcarecentre.org.za
