The Zolani GBV 6715 Ambassadors had their official launch on Sunday 3 July.
The organisation was started last year after Siyamthandile Skeyi was fatally stabbed multiple times by her partner.
“We started our organisation because of what happened to Siyamthandile,” explained Ntshokoleng Kumeke, Zolani GBV 6715 Ambassadors’s PR person. “However, she was not the first gender-based violence (GBV) victim in Zolani, but what happened to her was our wake-up call.
The organisation has been registered since last year, and decided to have an official launch to create more awareness of its existence. It also launched a wall of remembrance for all those who died as a result of GBV.
“At the moment we do not have a physical wall,” Kumeke said. “But we honour and remember those whose lives have been cut short due to gender-based violence. As an organisation we also go to schools and have awareness campaigns so the youth will know how to identify GBV. We also tell them what to do when they or someone they know is a victim of GBV.”
Furthermore, Kumeke explains there are a lot of GBV cases and incidents in Zolani.
“Many people have died because of GBV. It really is a big problem in the area. The biggest contributor to this is alcohol abuse and a dependency on the resources of partners.”
The organisation also assists family members of victims of GBV by offering moral support, and they try to provide them with monetary assistance or the necessities they may need during their time of bereavement.
“We are not always by the means to support the families financially, but we try our best to support the families of the victims.”
Anyone who would like to support the Zolani 6715 GBV Ambassadors in their fight against gender-based violence and supporting the victim’s families can contact Ntshokoleng Kumeke on 078 520 4621.
