Sun International helps tackle GBV
School educational workshops for learners and online self-defence courses for women.
With gender-based violence (GBV) high on the agenda from the end of this month during the 16 Days Of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Sun International is taking educational workshops to needy schools in underprivileged areas.
The courses will tackle issues such as the Six Virtues of True Masculinity and No Excuse for Abuse.
With so many boys having absent fathers, the six virtues will encourage them to become the men they were destined to be while encouraging female learners to recognise and value true masculinity.
This will include teaching them how to use their strength for good, building solid characters, taking care of themselves, supporting each other, becoming mentors, and helping make the world a better place.
When it comes to GBV, learners are educated about the crisis, the forms it takes, as well as actions that each boy and girl can take.
“We also train learners on the dangers of early sexual engagement and how it presents the possibility of infections, early pregnancy and possibly dropping out. Girls are taught about the dangers associated with dating older men and how this speaks to statutory rape,” said Heidi Edson, Sun International’s SED manager.
Already, in a broader socioeconomic workshop, 200 learners and educators from Minerva Secondary School attended a course in November during which the discussion focused on the challenge of crime, gangsterism and contract killing. These issues are said to be prevalent in Alexandra with learners becoming contract killers while in school. Some are involved in armed robberies and hijackings around the community, explained Edson.
Sun International believes that having sessions on crimes fits in perfectly with the GBV programmes as it shows exactly what happens when young boys are without positive mentorship and guidance.
Its partner workshop, Father A Nation, went into the community to speak about crime with the intention to heal and repair what is broken.
It has committed to revisiting the school and providing ongoing support to educators. Learners were taught that they are valuable and have their whole lives ahead of them.
GBV is at unprecedented levels in South Africa, with the statistics indicating that one in four women will experience violence by men and are five times more likely to be killed than men.
Father A Nation founder and CEO Craig Wilkinson said, “For the sake of our women and society, we must address the toxic masculine environment that has been created. We aim to create awareness, empower and inform all women about the help available.”
In addition to the educational workshops in schools, Sun International has collaborated with forgood, a South African volunteering platform, which is hosting free, virtual self-defence workshops.
One took place in November and the second is schedule
d for December 5. The purpose of the workshops is toequip women with techniques to defend themselves.
To sign up, visit the forgood website.
