February 6, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini
IN a few days time abused women and their children will have a safe place to seek refuge. A new shelter in Alexandra, called Bombani Safe House for Abused Women, will open its doors at the end of February.
With a welcoming and secure appearance, it is cream in colour and has high fences. The safe house, built at a cost of R2,5-million, will be a temporary home to 20 mothers and their children when it opens on 25 February.
"The [house] will provide shelter to victims of abuse and domestic violence for about two weeks," explains Joy Mathobie, the project manager for special needs at the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP). "During their stay at the shelter they will receive counselling from professionals and those in need of any medical attention will be attended to by resident nurses."
The ARP, an urban renewal project aimed at upgrading living conditions in the township, identified the site and the provincial government chipped in with funds.
Waiting for the furniture
Bombani Safe House for Abused Women was originally housed in an old fire station in Alexandra. It was established in August 2000, and the founder of the original shelter, Sizakele Nkosi, then the mayoral committee member for public safety, named it "bombani", meaning "be proud" in Tsonga.
Support was given to abused women from the local community and surrounding areas. Containers were used as rooms to accommodate victims of abuse. However, because it was unsafe and lacked the necessary security measures to protect the people it sheltered, it was closed down.
In 2006 the ARP was approached by a non-governmental organisation, Bombani, to establish a shelter at the original site. But it was discovered to be unsuitable for the shelter, according to Mathobie.
A new site was identified on the Far East Bank and within three months of construction starting, the double-storey shelter is complete. Only furniture needs to be moved in.
"The shelter contains 14 family rooms as well as shared community facilities for cooking and dining, ablutions and laundry. A children’s playground complete with swings and slides will be put up at the back."
To be operated by volunteers, the shelter will provide temporary therapeutic, residential care programmes for abused women and children from in and around Alexandra. It will also provide counselling for men who are abused by their partners.
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