Girls standing up for the community
The pair said their goal is to get every member of the community to continuously be aware of where to go when they need help.
Two Randfontein social work students have taken it upon themselves to tackle abuse and child negligence, and coordinate donations for the needy.
Raedene Pratt and Palesa van Vuuren, who are both completing their internship programme at Boys and Girls Town in Robinson, said their community projects will benefit Mohlakeng and Toekomsrus.
The duo said after a conducting an assessment in the two areas, they saw the need to embark on their mission.
“Through these programmes, we want to change families in the community. The programmes include parenting skills, silent marches against men abuse, family day and girl empowerment,” Raedene said.
Palesa said the programme is vital to the community as it will create awareness.
“We have also discovered that there is a lack of information within the community. The issues that we will tackle include issues like abuse against men.We are encouraging men to speak out against the abuse they might suffer,” Palesa said.
The pair said their goal is to get every member of the community to be continuously aware of where to go when a person needs help.
They said Mohlakeng and Toekomsrus were chosen for this intervention after they saw which areas were worst affected.
The team said after they graduate, they will partner with Women Against Women and Child Abuse (Wawa), to ensure that the public remains aware of their work.
“I want to see young girls becoming aware of issues such as teenage pregnancies and all the risks associated with engaging in sexual activity, especially at a young age. The sessions will also include the importance of education,” Palesa added.
Meanwhile, Raedene wants to establish her own NGO, through which she will mediate in cases where children are wrongfully removed from their families without finding other solutions.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za  (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
