ODW + ZIMELE WETHU
Project #279 | Empowering Women and Children to Respond to Gender Based Violence
Our partnership with Zimele Wethu
An estimated 50% of South African children are vulnerable to being abused by the age of 18, and every three minutes a child is reportedly raped. One third of those reported cases are committed by a family member or close relative. Zimele Wethu, a grassroots organization that creates self-sustaining communities by organizing women into self-help groups, has noted that children in KwaZulu-Natal Province rarely open up about their experiences of abuse. The lack of safe spaces for conversations about gender-based violence reveals deeply rooted cultural norms that silence victims and protect perpetrators.
One Day’s Wages partnered with Zimele Wethu to foster awareness of and dialogues about gender-based violence among a network of self-help groups. Recognizing that everyone must learn about gender equity from the time they are young in order to bring about generational change, both boys and girls were mobilized to join self-help groups and participate in discussions about gender-based violence. These groups not only offer safe spaces for members to discuss sensitive topics, but also provide opportunities to learn about financial management, savings and entrepreneurship. Through our partnership, 857 children and 1,283 adults better understand what gender-based violence is, how to prevent it, and what kinds of resources are available to survivors.
Our Collective Impact
PEOPLE HAVE INCREASED AWARENESS ABOUT GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
CHILDREN STARTED SAVING MONEY AS MEMBERS OF SELF-HELP GROUPS
FACILITATORS RECEIVED INTENSIVE TRAINING ON GBV
Meet the Children
After participating in community dialogues about gender-based violence, children had the opportunity to join self-help groups. Groups were organized based on area of interest, so each child could join a group of peers based on their shared enjoyment of sports, music, baking, or dancing.
Group members brainstormed ways that they could lessen the prevalence of violence and abuse in their communities. Their list of ideas included lots of creative ways to stay busy – especially during school breaks – in order to avoid risky situations.
Of the new self-help group members, 151 children are already saving funds together! They are each saving around 2 to 10 Rand per week. By learning to save their own money – even seemingly small amounts – the children are able to save up for larger purchases like baking equipment or transportation to sports tournaments that will enrich their lives, both present and future.
Thank you for making this possible!
Our movement is grassroots, to us that not only means the work on the ground is led by local leaders with the support of the community, but it also means that we raise the funds for our projects through everyday donors just like you. In addition to all the donors that gave $25, $100, or $250 and the campaigners that ran a race or donated their birthday to raise funds, we also want to thank our generous business, school, and faith sponsors who believed in our work and joined the movement.
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One Day’s Wages exists to alleviate extreme poverty by investing in, amplifying, and coming alongside locally led organizations in underserved communities.
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