Fair Friday Joins the Fight Against Femicide `

Posted on: 04 • 01 • 2021
 

In a corner of Mandela’s “Rainbow Nation,” a small, well-kept single-storey house stands in the distance, surrounded by greenery, much like thousands of others scattered across the countryside around Vredenburg. There is nothing particularly remarkable about it, except for the tall, secure fence that carefully encloses the home, as though it were protecting its inhabitants from an ever-present threat.

siyabonga

From a closer look, it resembles a heavily guarded prison. And yet, the women who find refuge in this house run by the Siyabonga association have never felt so free. Before arriving here, they faced social isolation, the denial of their most basic rights, control, manipulation, and the domination of a partner or spouse whose psychological abuse often escalated into physical violence.

Even though many women dream of escaping, fear of being tracked down, concerns about retaliation, and the lack of support often compel them to stay and endure the abuse.

Among them, six women each day fall into a final trap from which they will never escape—a femicide rate five times higher than the global average.

For them, it is already too late. And for all those who continue to endure abuse, believing that it is somehow “normal,” the relentless violence they face is never without consequences. Feelings of guilt, often reinforced by their abusers, prevent many from finding the strength to leave.

And yet, for many women, leaving is the only solution, and support services are increasingly being organized and expanded to help them do so.

When South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke out in 2019 in defense of women’s rights, the situation had become untenable. Women took to the streets, finding the courage to speak out and denounce the sexual and physical abuse they had suffered for so long—often behind closed doors and in the face of indifference from public authorities and law enforcement.

#AmINext? appeared on placards and spread across social media, giving a powerful voice to women's experiences. As a result, €100 million was allocated to strengthen the criminal justice system, train police officers to respond more effectively, and establish support and shelter centers for victims. Today, the COVID-19 crisis has only worsened the situation.

With lockdowns and movement restrictions, many women have become even more vulnerable to their abusers, whose violent behavior has often been intensified by the social and economic consequences of the pandemic: unemployment, loss of income, and the struggle to put food on the table. It is a prison from which they must escape at all costs, because the promise of a better future offers hope—the courage to reject the idea of “just this once” or the regret of “if only I had known.”

enfants

At Siyabonga’s shelter, up to 20 women and their children can find an initial safe haven through a 72-hour emergency accommodation program.

Once urgent medical care has been provided, women can access a three-month support program designed to help them rebuild their lives and move forward. This includes social and psychological support, legal assistance, training opportunities, and help with finding employment, all aimed at enabling them to regain a normal life—one defined by freedom, dignity, and independence.

Because the situation is so critical in South Africa, we chose to dedicate our FAIR FRIDAY campaign, from December 4 to 6, 2020, to supporting women affected by violence.

Near Vredenburg, Siyabonga provides shelter and support for vulnerable women. It is also in this region that the endemic, organic, and Fair Trade rooibos grows—the same rooibos that fills your cup with its delicate notes of vanilla and hazelnut.

It seemed only natural to donate €1 to Siyabonga for every box of rooibos sold through Nature & Découvertes stores and our factory outlet during these three days of FAIR FRIDAY.

Fair Friday poster

Today, Christna, the organization’s director, is delighted: the donation will make it possible to provide 72-hour emergency shelter and support for 73 women.

We hope that one day South Africa will no longer be associated with these tragic words spoken by its own President:

“South Africa is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman, with levels of violence comparable to those found in a country at war.”

Lephalale, November 2019.

www.siyabongacarevillage.co.za

 
Posted in: Commitment

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