The Vandia Gardens Domestic Workers Forum has been running for over a decade now, and despite the isolation the Covid-19 lockdown brought our communities, the forum is still going strong.
The forum meets once a month, and according to Carol Corbett of the Vandia Gardens Residents Association, the ladies really love it. “The forum allows our local domestic workers to interact and meet one another, and this is always followed by a guest speaker to discuss a wide range of topics including health, safety and security. We are happy today to have a representative from the Department of Health to discuss Covid-19, as well as its prevention and treatment,” said Corbett.
This initiative by the Vandia Gardens Residents Association seeks to look after the safety, security and well-being of local domestic workers through engaging in regular education, discussion and social interaction. The forum also regularly partakes in various care initiatives such as the testing for diabetes, as well as a recent drive for pap smear testing for cervical cancer.
“The NGO Right to Care recently paid our ladies a visit to conduct pap smear testing free of charge. We felt that this was highly beneficial and important as many of our ladies did not know about this kind of test, or its importance,” said Corbett.
Elements of the forum are sponsored by local security company Beagle Watch, and the Randburg Police’s Social Crime Prevention Unit pays the forum regular visits to engage with the ladies about social crime issues and the prevention of crime affecting domestic workers in particular. Ward 101 councillor Mike Wood said that forums that engage with domestic workers are highly beneficial, and should be conducted in other local communities.
“Domestic workers are at home working most of the day when the rest of the household is away. They are your eyes and ears when you are not home, and education in crime prevention is highly important. I really salute the work that they are involved in, and I believe that this is a model other community groups should follow,” said Wood.
Details: www.vgra.co.za
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