Turning adversity to the advantage of the community

After surviving a background surrounded with crime, Penny Steyn was inspired to take action against crime – 19 years later she is still making a difference.

Making A Difference (MAD) Domestic Watch Programme was founded by Penny Steyn after she was a victim of crime when two people tried to strangle her on Heritage Day in 2001.

After being assisted by Constable Khumela, Steyn became a member of the Parkview executive Community Police Forum where she embarked on her journey of making a difference.

The programme started in Craighall Park more than 20 years ago and is aimed at empowering attendees to know what to do and what not to do in any life-challenging situation, in their property where they work and out in the community. Lessons are fun and very interactive where information about crime in local suburbs is shared with the attendees sharing crime to make them more aware. “I work at giving them much more credibility and pride in the work that they do, including safeguarding themselves and those they work for and with,” said Steyn.

Penny Steyn’s passions in life lie in making a difference to crime in South Africa and contribute to the SAPS challenges. She has trained hundreds of police members in Customer Service and is determined to find further sponsorship to allow her to continue to make a significant impact and motivate the ‘boys and girls in blue’ that put their lives on the line to keep the South African community safe. She is determined to take her Mad Domestic Watch programme nationally by training others to do this work and thereby create job opportunities.

“I don’t read the lessons, I tell stories that enhance the topics. I have an abundance of true good and bad stories. I make them laugh and feel special, which they truly are. Some have been coming for up to 15 years without missing a lesson, they love the lessons,” she added.

Steyn was a nominee for Business Woman of the Year in 2004 for the work she undertakes and recently received a Mail & Guardian and Southern African Trust Drivers of Change award and a Merit Certificate from Primedia. She was also nominated for the Shoprite Checkers Good Neighbours Against Crime award in 2011.

The programme receives support from the police in different stations, security companies, resident associations such as the Craighall Residents Association (CRA), Community Policing Forums (CPFs) and Steyn’s caregiver Julies Mthembu.

“The CRA has been sponsoring me, their offer was until the end of this year. I am truly grateful to them, despite no lessons they are paying me. I have had no income other than the one lesson with Craighall Park in May this year. It has been really tough as you can imagine,” she said.

“There have been some extremely kind people who have brought me food and the Bailie Church from Gallo Manor has been extraordinary, coming and praying with me and bringing food parcels for my caregiver Julies Mthembu and gift voucher for me. I have sold many valuables to just be able to survive, the help has come from some really kind and good people.”

Through this programme, Steyn hopes to leave a permanent mark in the lives of many through motivating others to get involved with the crime challenge in South Africa, fulfilling requests for more Mad meetings, training school children and through them to motivate their parents to become involved in making a difference.

For more information about the Mad initiative or to donate, contact Penny Steyn 011 783 8776 or via email, madpenny@absamail.co.za