NOMVUYO Shabangu has always wanted to return to her hometown, Durban, to work and now as the new director of Childline KZN, she can finally settle down.
Shabangu said while she didn’t initially intend on specializing in vulnerable children and had became a social worker to help people – her work has always focused on children.
Shabangu started her career as a social worker in Durban after completing her BA degree first at the Epilepsy Foundation – then the Durban Child Welfare – before leaving for Johannesburg. Before long she wanted to expand her knowledge, wings and “just see the world” so opted to work in the UK for nearly a decade. “At the Surrey County Council I was a social worker and discovered their problems are were far from ours in South Africa. Where there was neglect it was very different from the usual reasons we have with regard to lack of money, food and clothes. When I was promoted to a team manager, our team had to ensure every possible avenue was explored to try to keep the child within the family.”
She recalled her time in the UK being a “fascinating, new learning experience.” “Different people do different things differently- I’ve learned you have to use what works for your situation and environment,” she added.
Feeling homesick, Shabangu returned to South Africa in 2010, but couldn’t get a job in Durban so joined Child Welfare SA until July this year. “I’m so glad to be back in Durban. Childline was always on the top of my list of organisations I wanted to work for so I’m really glad to be here.”
According to Shabangu, history repeats itself in many families and children of abuse become abusers or get abused as adults. She warned parents that the digital age we live in escalates problems around abuse. “Children must be careful about what they put on social media, because innocent pictures can be manipulated, so they need to know at a young age the dangers they expose themselves to. Don’t allow children to take provocative pictures they may seem innocent but paedophiles are out there trawling for innocent victims,” she warned.
Shabangu believes social workers are special people, “They deal with people’s grief on a daily basis and yet have to be strong to assist them through it. It is also very rewarding when you see a child who was abused that has gone through the process with you – who becomes a child again with hope and looks forward to a new day and their future. We see them when they are broken and seeing them restored and their family restored is a joy,” she said.
Sustainable funding is one of the organisation’s biggest challenges. “Our survival depends on the generosity of the community. Our crisis line alone deals with around 20 000 calls a month. Some of these calls are related to trauma, abuse, suicide and failed exams,” she added.
The 24hour Childline helpline is 0800055555 for any traumatic experiences facing children.
