In response to the recent upsurge of violent and sexual crimes, Themba Lesizwe this month approved R5-million in funding to over 35 non-governmental and community based organisations providing victim empowerment services to poor communities.

The funding was made available by the Embassy of Ireland though their development cooperation programme with South Africa. The funding falls under the framework of the Embassy's Good Governance, Democracy & Human Rights budget line, through which over R18 million has been committed to human rights organisations and others in South Africa. Themba Lesizwe has received a grant of R10 million over two years.

Themba Lesizwe is the South African Network of Trauma Service Providers. Its primary purpose is to make trauma and mental health care services more accessible, more affordable and more professional throughout South Africa. By focusing on empowerment of victims of crime and violence, Themba Lesizwe seeks to contribute to building a peaceful society in which respect for human rights and human dignity are the norm.

In granting the funds, Themba Lesizwe focused on the five non-coastal provinces.  It will focus on the coastal provinces in April 2003.  Following a national call for proposals, organisations were awarded grants of between R50 000 and R200 000 for research, improving accessibility of trauma counselling and mental health services in poor communities, raising public awareness about violence and abuse, and training of volunteers and frontline workers in trauma management.

The recipient organisations offer varied victim empowerment services, ranging from court assistance, training of young people, through to research into best practice and new models of trauma management.

Among the recipient organisations are People Opposing Women Abuse, Lifeline, Childline, NICRO, National Peace Accord Trust, Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Trust, and a host of community based initiatives in small towns and rural areas.  In all, five organisations operate in Limpopo, six in the Free State, two in North West, three in Mpumalanga, eleven in Gauteng (in poor communities such as Ivory Park, Soweto, Alex), one in the Western Cape, one in Kwa-Zulu Natal, two in the Eastern Cape, and one in the Northern Cape.  Others have a national focus.

All grantees are affiliates of the Themba Lesizwe network, and will participate in a National Conference on Victim Empowerment on 29-31 January 2003. This conference will build on the community development work the funding has made possible, and will continue the impetus generated by last year’s campaign against violence against women and children.