The challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and last year's national lockdown continue to be felt by non-profit organisations that had been relying on funding entities and local businesses who are no longer able to fund them with ease.
Tshilwavhusiku Victim Empowerment (TVE), which was started in 2006 and had been a sanctuary for many abused men, women, and children in the Kutama and Sinthumule areas for years, has not been exempt from these challenges. The organisation is based at the Tshilwavhusiku Police Station.
"Before Covid-19, we had several entities who backed our cause for a crime-free area," the organisation's manager, Mr John Sadiki, said. "But this has become scarce since they cite that their businesses are not doing well now."
TVE helps around 50 victims monthly, most of whom also seek sanctuary at their overnight shelter where they can bath, eat, receive clothes, and have access to counselling. "We provide all those services, and in instances where we have no funds, we use the little monies from our own pockets to buy them food and toiletries," he said. "At the moment, we are really struggling. We are in need of serious support to cater for our clients, who are victims of abuse or crime. Sometimes we get frustrated too, when we receive clients and we have no food and toiletries to give them, or enough blankets and clothes now that it is winter."
When TVE started, they had 80 volunteer members. Shortly after, some sought greener pastures elsewhere and others left since the organisation provided no remuneration for the volunteers. "We were all working out of the passion of hearts," Sadiki said.
The organisation was registered as non-profit organisation in February 2011 and the Department of Social Development started supporting their programmes in 2013.
In 2013-2014, TVE received immeasurable support from the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme, who funded them via Gender-links training on sexual assault, HIV, domestic violence, and child abuse. "They offered us at least R60 000 to train the community of Madombidzha as a starting point, so that they could get to know, understand and deal with domestic violence and other related social ills," Sadiki said.
In 2017- 2018, they rolled out a Village Zero Tolerance and School Zero Tolerance programme, where they educated the communities on issues such as domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, minority rights and reproduction health rights, which was supported by USAID in partnership with the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme.
"During this period, we were able to reach 1 330 villagers in Madombidzha and Midoroni villages," Sadiki said. "Many people also started reporting cases of domestic abuse, which showed that many cases were going unreported due to a lack of victim education. At the end of the programme, we were glad to witness a decline in incidents of domestic violence in our area."
Those who would like to assist Tshilwavhusiku Victim Empowerment can contact Mr John Sadiki on Tel 082 957 7649 (WhatsApp and calls) or sadikimusuwa@gmail.com.