Durban — The Securities and Insurance Licensing Association (Sila) Foundation in partnership with the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Response Fund launched a prevention programme in ward 57, Amaoti, in Inanda on Saturday.
Sila Foundation representative Nomathemba Sibiya said the purpose of the programme was to make the community aware that there is a GBVF campaign for the next two years. Sila also visited local schools and conducted stakeholder engagements with the community.
“This was the fourth activity. First Sila had a meeting with the ward 57 councillor and community leaders,” said Sibiya.
The launch was attended by more than 200 community members, and it included presentations from local artists, non-profit organisations and community leaders.
eThekwini Municipality ward 57 councillor Thulani Kunju said the community has been grappling with crime.
“There are ex-convicts who intimidate elders and steal from them. We condemn that action. We have been working with Sila Foundation to encourage victims to speak out through different interactions and workshops with them,” he said.
eThekwini Municipality ward 57 committee member Thuli Ngcobo said the event was a success because the community had the chance to open up about the challenges they face.
“The main topic was ‘break the silence’. So many times the community does not report violence because it is done by their family members, so they are afraid to. We foresee a great working partnership with the foundation in assisting the youth. We want to encourage people to speak out against violence and for them to know who to open up to,” she said.
Ngcobo said that they also launched the GBVF Awareness Wall where the community members were given the opportunity to write GBVF messages, including dipping their hands in paint and applying their palms and fingerprints to the wall.
“We all wrote our names on the wall of the community hall in Inanda and gave people a chance to write any message,” she said.
Amaoti resident Ayanda Duma said he appreciated the event because he teaches children art and sports.
“I hope there will be more events because it will make people more open to discussing social issues and the youth will grow up in a better environment.”
Ntuzuma Rapid Response team member Amanda Novukela said the event was important for community members to know who to contact in case of danger. Novukela plans on talking to the youth about anti-bullying and safety.
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