A White Door Centre of Hope for Tholeni residents

Victims of gender based violence in Tholeni village outside Butterworth will from now on knock at Tholeni White Door Centre of Hope should they experience any form of gender based violence in the area.
 
This centre was officially launched by MEC for Social Development and Special Programmes Dr Pemmy Majodina in Tholeni, as the department embarks on its October Campaign, Social Development Month Campaign, a month set aside to showcase the work that the department is mandated to carry out. On the same day, the department also launched Everyday Heroes Brand, a campaign meant to create and increase awareness on victim empowerment services and the negative impact of gender-based violence in communities.

A white door centre of hope is a localised victim reception centre that is located as close to the community as possible. It functions as a short term safe space that victims can access if they need to wait for professional services, including the police. The department intends to rollout the programme to ensure accessibility of the services to victims of gender based violence across the province. Over 40 sites across the Province have since been identified, including the one in Tholeni.
 
The opening of the Centre, according to MEC Majodina, emanates from incidencies of gender based violence that saw 17 women and children being killed in the area since 2008.
 
These prompted a Tholeni resident, Nomfundiso Mpontshane, to pledge her house to be the centre of hope. Victims of gender based violence will be accommodated there, according to Majodina, to transform the victims to be savivors. “This centre will serve as the first point of call for the victims. Mrs Mpontshane will be trained on how to receive the victims. We want this place to be a centre where victims are rehabilitated to be savivors,” said Majodina.
 
Mpontshane sees light at the end. “We are happy for the support that we receive from Social Development (and Special Programmes). We have been living in fear for a very long time, going throug sleepless nights. But your support (the department) and that of police have given us hope that the worst is over. We thank you very much,” concluded Mpontshane.