The Herald’s Handbags of Love Project a success!
With the help of the community, the Herald was able to donate 37 handbags full of items to the Riet Family Guidance Centre for abused women and their dependent kids.
Finally! The Herald’s Handbags of Love Project is complete.
With the help of the community, we managed to donate 37 filled handbags to the Riet Family Guidance Centre on Tuesday, 11 December. All the handbags contained items such as sanitary products and toiletries, activity books for children, scarves, snacks and more.
The project was started on Tuesday, 28 August, and aimed to benefit and bring comfort to abused women and their dependent kids at the centre. Riet is a non-governmental welfare and educational organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of the rights of women and their dependent children.
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At the official handover, Ivan Kotze, director of the centre thanked the Herald and the public for the initiative.
“We would like to thank the Herald for embarking on such a marvellous project. It shows that the media is not only about sharing stories, but also about bringing hope to the most vulnerable, namely the women and children we take in.”
Ivan added the initiative will make a change in the lives of those are affected by violence, which is a serious issue in this country.
“It affects all people, regardless of creed, race, or gender. We need such projects to help the women and children who are here, to give them hope. This has been a beautiful project, because when the women leave, they will have something that they know that they can take with them as a token and that will be associated with the Herald.”
Ivan continued, “We are happy to know that we have a long-term partner in our fight to make a change in the life of the most vulnerable women and children.”
Vinelle Madi, programme manager at the centre, said more than 20 incidents of violent crimes against women, ranging from murder and gang rape, to home invasion, robbery and abuse, have been reported in Randfontein since the beginning of the year.
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This is why the Herald launched the Handbags of Love Project – to reach out to women who are victims of domestic abuse, and their children.
Vinelle pleaded, “We want to have 365 days against women and children abuse. This thought should be in the back of our minds at all times.” She said the referrals on the West Rand are mostly the result of physical abuse, but abuse is not just about ‘he’s hitting me’. “You get many forms of abuse, including financial, verbal and emotional abuse.”
“For example, the husband of one of the women at the centre is withholding finances, swearing at her and accusing her of things she’s really not doing.”
Vinelle added that they have helped many women over the years who have managed to get out of their abusive situations and now live happy, good lives with their children, but sadly others have not been so lucky.
Clinton Botha, the Herald’s editor, said: “Since the launch of the project months ago, I have hammered on the fact that Women’s Month has come and gone, but who said it has to end? Who said the violence against women has ended?
“We launched in late August this year and although the handover only took place on 11 December, my team and I are happy to have completed our mission – to give these abused women and children some comfort.
“It actually couldn’t have come at a better time as Christmas is just weeks away and it was recently the end of the 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Children campaign.
“To end – we couldn’t have done it without the community. As Team Herald, we would like to thank the Indigo Helping Hand Foundation in Middelvlei who donated a whopping 33 handbags. Our thanks also go to the many individuals in the public for their contribution of handbags and items as well, and yes, even to that one woman who sponsored 37 packs of Niknaks.
“We also thank Spar Greenhills for their kind donation, which enabled us to start Phase 2 with a bang. They donated several boxes of items including toothbrushes, toiletries and more. Thanks to all, I am sure the 37 handbags full of items will be much appreciated,” Clinton said.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
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