Community gathers at Motoeng Tembisa for GBV campaign

Koena Mashale
The Get Informed Youth Development Centre held a gender-based violence (GBV) awareness campaign on May 17 for the Thembisa community at the Praise and Miracles Church in Motoeng.
According to a social worker, Mokgadi Malebane, NPOs play a crucial role in addressing the critical link between personal development and entrepreneurship skills to promote sustainable development.
“The event was held to promote awareness against GBV. It was to empower, inform and inspire change in the community.”
Malebane stated the event educated the community about patterns of GBV, from how it begins to how it affects the victim. She said the community was informed and advised to work hand-in-hand with the police to report cases and help victims.
“We educated the community on child abuse, HIV/Aids as well as balancing power in the community and intimate relationships,” said Malebane.
Malebane said the organisation introduced the idea of Start Awareness Support Action (SASA) to the community and now it was developed to prevent abuse against women and children.
“SASA is a method for engaging and mobilising communities to address the core issues of violence against women and HIV.”
The social worker explained if the community would better understand the SASA approach, they would be able to analyse and explore the connections between power, violence against women, and HIV, both personally and within the community.
“SASA begins with the person and to be able to help others I need to help myself first. When you can heal yourself, you can move on to speaking to others, teaching them and making them aware of the consequences and pain people can go through.”
Malebane said supporting those around you promotes growth and trust within an individual. She said having a great support system is often one of the first steps in combating GBV and having someone to fall back on makes it easier for victims to survive and leave abusive relationships.
“The community, the police and we as social workers are here to support those experiencing and having experienced GBV,” said Malebane.