Storm Combat bid farewell to a group of young women from Dieplsoot after they completed a four-week self-defence programme aimed at reducing gender-based violence (GBV).
The Healing Africa Foundation in partnership with Extreme Fight Club, the What if Trust, and Storm Combat worked together to sponsor a group of young women from disadvantaged backgrounds in a project called The Fight Back Initiative which was launched on Mandela Day to teach women how to protect themselves.
Storm Combat teaches hardcore self-defence techniques as well as many other things.
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During the programme, the group of young women were taught how to defend themselves when they were being cornered by two people, when in potential rape and knife situations, and also skills such as boxing, front choke, grappling on the floor, Brazillian jiu jitsu and many more.
The self-defence instructor and director of Storm Combat Ivana Ries said, “I am proud of every one of the participants of the self-defence course and hope they go out there to teach other women how to protect themselves and the next person.
“As GBV is such a big problem in this country, I hope skills being taught by Storm Combat reach out to many so that we can make a difference in the abuse of women and children.”
Participant Helen Setumo said the most crucial lesson she had learned was how to escape situations of being potentially raped or suffocated.
Phatiswa Nkuna said, “Because of this programme, I believe I now know how to defend myself when in danger.”
The course ended with the young women singing and chanting self-defence songs.
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