Project aims to empower women
"We are encouraging women to learn to avoid these potential life threatening problems."
The Shine Empowerment Project, under the leadership of the Get Informed Youth Development Centre, launched the One Less Victim movement recently.
The movement is aimed at empowering girls in schools.
According to one of the Shine Empowerment Project’s master trainers, Ms Jabulile Mathebula, they are empowering women of all ages to understand the signs and impending dangers of violence in the community.
“We are encouraging women to learn to avoid these potential life threatening problems, ranging from bullying to domestic violence. Our programme empowers victims to get themselves out of the victim mindset and into one of self-confidence and safety,” said Ms Mathebula.
Ms Mathebula said they will identify a group of girl pupils to become peer educators of the Shine Victim Prevention Programme during their school visits.
“Together with the group, we will host group discussions about child abuse and crime. All the peer educators will be exposed to discover career programmes and other workshops. We will do follow ups and mentor them,” added Ms Mathebula.
The Shine Women Empowerment Project is working with the SAPS and Victim Empowerment Programme Centres in Tembisa.
“During these processes, when we get to reach out to the vulnerable, abused women or teen girls, we recommend referrals to trauma centres and clinics for initial trauma debriefing mentors. These mentors will be available to assist with support and the reporting of domestic violence cases to the court.
“We are giving women a platform to heal from previous abusive experiences. Some women are abused on a daily basis and they are scared to report the crime to the SAPS. We are encouraging women to engage with organisations such as People Opposing Woman Abuse (POWA) and other centres that are empowering abused women in the community,” said Ms Mathebula.
The Shine Empowerment Project is based in Phomolong, next to the Phomolong Pay Point.
For more information about the project, contact the offices on 011 021-0563.
Alternatively, contact Ms Mathebula on 072 516 8290 or Ms Charmaine Maluleke on 078 921 770 for more information.
