The Where Rainbows Meet Training and Development Centre in Vrygrond has started a skills and volunteer programme aimed at men affected by Gender-Based-Violence (GBV).
Kyle Cupido, programme manager at centre, said often attention is given to women only with few men even reporting cases.
“The programme was started last year. As we focused so much attention on the women, we realised the cases of men not only coming forward to report cases but if the majority of perpetrators are males, we need to target the problem and solve it. With that we decided to establish the men’s programme.”
The men participating in the programme learn new skills and work on a volunteer basis.
“The discussions are focused on the issues all men face. At the moment we have over 30 men participating in the programme but not limited to that amount as we educate Early Childhood Development (ECD) parents, nutrition beneficiaries and clients alike.”
Cupido added that a unique working environment is created, in collaboration with the City of Cape Town, as some of the men temporary intern at the City.
“The City became involved earlier in the year when the division in Department of Social Development (DSD) working with the men’s programme heard about the work, we doing to curb GBV. They approached us to place men at our organisation to work for the City on a temporary basis and intern. We educate and create a unique working environment for them.”
According to Cupido, the men who work at the centre are exposed to skills programmes through workshops and skills training. “The men work as full-time volunteers at the organisation, being our extended hands, we allow them to participate in all our programmes and gain broad exposure as well as learning new skills and knowledge through our interactive empowerment workshops and skills training.
They also get to facilitate programmes for the youth and young men with the aim of become mentors and role models which is a huge lack in our communities.”
Mymoena Scholtz, founder and director of the centre, said the programme gives men an opportunity to make a difference in their community.
“Our GBV Programme for men is working so well. They attend a programme twice a week and we can only thank our partners and the City of Cape for giving our men the opportunity to work within their own communities and make a difference. Together we are stronger.”
