RATA Social Services held a Women’s Day event, with several motivational speakers, for disadvantaged women in the community on August 9.
Each woman received a gift bag, with slippers and other goodies, a container of soup, a cup of coffee and rusks, and a small pot with African Daisy seeds to nurture. This is symbolic of the relationship with themselves and with God that they were encouraged to nurture.
The event was opened by Loraine du Plessis, who spoke of the poem of a wife of noble character in the book of Proverbs. “You’re all crown jewels, and he who finds you finds favour with the Lord,” she told the crowd.
She spoke about what makes a good wife, and the unique traits women possess that make them priceless.
“A good wife brings good things. She works with eager hands, is enterprising and gets up while it’s still dark to provide for her family,” she continued.
Bongekile Sibeko, a social worker for RATA, spoke about how RATA never intends to remove children from their mothers and how they always try everything in their power to ensure that the family stays together and becomes healthy, for the sake of the child.
Debbie Hannekom spoke about her own trauma and how she struggled but succeeded despite it, and how women faced with difficulty still find a way.
“Every day here reminds me of me. That moment of fear when your whole body doesn’t know what’s going to happen next, I see that in you all,” she said.
Debbie left her house at 17 after she was assaulted by a family member, who was later arrested.
“I said to myself ‘I will not take this lying down’, and I climbed over the wall and went to the police,” she explained.
When she went back to her house, she was told to take only the clothes she paid for herself and leave, and she started her new life with a black bag full of clothes.
“Just like myself, the hurt and hopelessness I see in your faces is overshadowed by the courage I see in your faces. You can make it too, and it’s never too late.”
Throughout the event, the women were regaled by the singing of pastors Magda van der Merwe and Frikkie Henning.
After the speakers finished, each woman wrote a note about an issue that is holding them down, tied the note to a balloon and then let it go.
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