A new non-profit organisation aimed at helping survivors of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) rebuild their lives has been launched in Mamelodi, one of Gauteng’s identified GBVF hotspots.
The Healing Lives Foundation, officially launched on Friday at the Mamelodi Community Hall, says it wants to move beyond crisis intervention by helping survivors heal emotionally, gain financial independence and re-enter society through education, skills development and employment opportunities.
Operating under the theme “From Crisis to Career – From Silence to Strength,” the organisation will provide psychosocial support, aftercare services, job-readiness programmes and community awareness initiatives designed to prevent GBV while supporting survivors long after they leave abusive situations.
Founder and director Siphokazi Buwa said too many women remain trapped in violent relationships because they lack both support and economic opportunities.
“Our women suffer because they do not have a voice. We started this foundation to give them their voice back, to give them hope and to show them that where they are is not the end,” she said.
