GBV victims take power into their own hands

Women who have been abused by their partners have received handiwork training thanks to the assistance of the non-governmental organisation, People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA).

POWA provides South African women who have been abused with the opportunity to be trained in a variety of skills.

Doing makeup, installing hair extensions, doing nails, learning to drive, sewing, computer literacy, and even baking are examples of such skills.

According to the report, 300 GBV victims will have received training in the skills by the end of 2022. Victims who have received counselling from POWA are the recipients of this skills training.

These NGOs can be found in Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal.

“Being independent as a woman improves life and allows them to support their children,” said Mpho Masilo, the Project Manager and Trainer at POWA.

“As a result, instead of enduring abuse because they rely on these men, they can now speak openly about what is happening to them. And now they are in a position to consider it, even if it is not exactly a job,” Masilo concluded.

Under the #EndDomesticSilence campaign, a 26-year-old woman from Mthatha who received training at the Mthatha Women’s Support Centre is now earning money for herself using the skills she learned from the POWA training.

This campaign taught her and eight other victims how to make jewellery crafts such as wrist watches, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and headbands with clan name inscriptions in Mthatha.

“My brother is an aggressive person. He used to insult everyone in the house, and he even hit my mother, who died from stress.

“Meeting other women during training gave me confidence. I can now sell the items I made in the community. I was unemployed and lacked any other skills. I am happy because I used to wash people’s clothes,” said the victim

This victim has eight family members at home, and they rely on government grants. She claims she will now teach other women how to make jewellery crafts.