- Mosaic Training and Healing Centre has spent 30 years combating gender-based violence, offering support, shelter, and empowerment programs for survivors.
- Despite funding challenges, the organization provides essential resources, such as survivor care packs and therapeutic counseling.
- Their services include emergency residential support, court assistance, and economic empowerment to help women achieve financial independence.
For 30 years the community-based, non-governmental organisation (NPO) Mosaic Training and Healing Centre in Wynberg was the beacon of hope in responding and working to prevent gender-based violence (GBV), with a particular focus on domestic and intimate-partner violence.
In the Western Cape, they work in Wynberg, Mitchells Plain, Philippi, Paarl and Worcester. However, they also have a footprint in Tshwane and KwaZulu Natal.
Care packs
“Our major challenge is funding to ensure the necessary resources for survivors are available. On Mandela Day (Thursday 18 July) we did a drive for survivor care packs.
“Often survivors have to hand in their clothing as part of evidence at the Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) and we provide them with clothing.
“As well as something to eat, sanitary towels and a shower following the process. Similarly, our shelters house women with their children. Funding and sponsorships can allow us to cover a lot of ground and ensure their dignity, comfort and safety,” says Sinelizwe Ncaluka, communications officer for Mosaic.
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Services offered include support and healing, shelter, access to justice, economic empowerment, gender equality and safety, and access to the TCC to inform the survivors of the rights and safety of women, children and other vulnerable groups.
“Our court support services offer containment counselling and psycho-legal and psycho-social containment counselling for survivors, essential to preparing survivors mentally and emotionally to engage with the court process for a domestic violence protection order.
Emergency centres
“The 24-hour emergency centres prepare survivors and their families for the necessary evidence-gathering forensic medical procedures and process statements following an incident of violence. The centres are managed by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and our first responders support the survivor during the process and provide preventative health support services,” says Ncaluka.
To make women financially independent they gain valuable skills that allow them to secure stable employment, start their businesses, or engage in income-generating activities.
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says Ncaluka.
Mosaic’s community education and mobilisation interventions and programmes are aimed at building awareness, understanding and skills to dismantle long-held views of power imbalances that give men power over women and children in relationships, homes and communities, leading to violence and non-responsive systems.
“We offer a range of workshops such as Human Rights Referral training, family strengthening, GBV awareness, community engagements covering all aspects of abuse against vulnerable groups, how to access justice and knowing your rights as well as training for duty bearers, such as the police, forums, schools, leaders etc,” says Ncaluka.
- For more information contact Ncaluka on 021 761 7585 or email sinelizwi@mosaic.org.za
