Empowering women in the community

With a room full of women gathered to celebrate the last few days of Women’s Month, the Vulnerable Citizens Support Initiative (VCSI) held their third Women With Soul event at the boat deck at Lakeside Mall, on August 27.

Zharika Marais (left), Manogari Moonsammy (VCSI head) and Retha Teitge.

The women were encouraged to empower themselves and other women within the community when it came to the issue of domestic violence. They were also taught the basic skills of self-defence.

“We wanted to empower the women and encourage them to have mental, physical, spiritual and emotional well being,” said Manogari “Nogz” Moonsammy (VCSI head).

Along with motivation talks and entertainment, the women each received a balloon to write a message to themselves, which they would later release into the sky as a symbol of letting go of the past and looking to the future.

A total of 170 women from various shelters attended the event.

The afternoon ended with prizes and gifts that were handed to each woman.

They left the venue with a sense of hope and love.