Packs put power in the hands of women

Members of Kolisi foundation and members of #LangaForMen with the power packs.

A Langa youth group partnered with the Kolisi Foundation to donate hampers containing pepper spray, a journal, a whistle, a food voucher and toiletries to 150 Langa residents on Friday August 14.

Residents gathered outside in small groups, keeping their distance from each other and wearing their masks, as they waited to be addressed by a representative of the Kolisi Foundation.

Foundation volunteer Lusanda Mashua said they had put together a programme on gender-based violence in partnership with different NGOs, including Langa For Men, which were doing work on the ground.

“We identify organisations that are paying attention to solving gender-based violence and we’re filling in the gaps. So with Langa for Men, they are enabling boys and men to be part of the solution, which I find so remarkable,” she said.

“What these power packs we’re trying to help the victims protect themselves. While we wait for education to happen and other structural drivers to be in place, we just want to put power in the hands of women to be able to support themselves”.

President of the Kolisi Foundation, Rachel Kolisi, said the foundation, which has been in operation since March was “honoured to come into communities, to help and uplift where we possibly can”.

“We never leave satisfied, we know that there is a greater need and there’s lots to do. So, until life is equal for everybody, we still have work to do,” she said.

Founder of Langa For Men, Siyabonga Saadiq Khusela said the organisation fought for children and women’s rights.

“We fight for everybody’s rights but we focus on women. Our mission is to educate, inspire and motivate young boys so that they grow up knowing that men should not hit women. We started our organisation last year in August.

“We are so grateful to the Kholisi Foundation. People who will be receiving these power packs are unemployed single parents. The Kolisi Foundation would donate parcels here in Langa for the next three months. So that will help us to go door to door to other homes that we did not go to for this round.”