Sunnyside police help clean up local women’s shelter
The women's shelter is said to accommodate around 30 women daily.
Sunnyside police recently joined hands with the Women Arise shelter in Sunnyside for a clean-up of the premises.
The Women Arise shelter is an initiative of local NGO, PEN (Participate, Envision, Navigate) to support homeless women in the area.
Located on Steve Biko Road, the shelter on average houses around 30 women daily, offering them a safe supportive space where they can rebuild their lives.
“Every woman deserves a chance to rise above her circumstances, and Women Arise stands as a testament to the resilience and strength that lies within each of these women,” says the coordinator at Women Arise, Gontse Mokhari.
Mokhari says that the shelter originally began aimed at helping sex workers with nowhere else to turn. As the programme grew, it began accepting vulnerable women from all walks of life in Sunnyside.
The Sunnyside police say they chose to join forces with Women Arise due to their understanding of how some gender-based violence (GBV) cases stem from situations where destitute women fall victim to unsuspecting predators. The initiative aimed to send a message that women have the police’s full support.
Brigadier Matshidiso Kgoadi says that initiatives such as these go a long way in creating stronger bonds between the community and police.
“This joint effort serves not only to uplift the lives of the homeless community but also to strengthen the bond of trust and goodwill between the police and those they serve.
“Building bridges of empathy and compassion is at the core of their mission, demonstrating that the Sunnyside police indeed have a heart for the people they protect,” Brigadier Kgoadi says.
Ahead of Women’s Month, the Sunnyside police and Women Arise say they share a vision of a community where every woman is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of her circumstances.
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