May’s Monthly Forum focused on Gender, GBV and Economic Power. Economic Justice is a critical GBV prevention tool and lifeline for domestic violence survivors. Well attended and actively participated in, the session covered Pillar 5 of South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide, which focuses on economic power, and a session led by Puleng Seferho, a community-based entrepreneur.
Economic Power Goal of Pillar 5: Transform the structural makeup of South Africa’s economy to increase women’s access to, control over, and ownership of productive assets.
Key Strategies: The working group promotes women-owned businesses, focuses on sustainable economic empowerment, and works on removing barriers to economic participation.
The Pillar 5 working group operates as part of the End GBVF Collective to empower women financially, as economic dependency is recognised as a major factor trapping women in abusive relationships.
Community-based entrepreneur
Puleng Seferho presented her organic farming business Mampu Perfect Integration as a model for community economic empowerment. She shared her experience with the Sunrise Campaign, which provided funding, training, and mentorship to empower women in her community. The programme helped increase her self-confidence and enabled her to start and grow her organic vegetable and herb business, Mambu Perfect Integration. Through the mentorship component, Puleng and other participants supported each other in achieving their business goals and personal development. The campaign emphasised the importance of being active participants in the economy rather than spectators, particularly in addressing food security and promoting healthy eating habits in the community.
Puleng shared her community-focused business initiatives, including food processing, seed selling, and organic farming practices. She discussed her approach to adding value to products, using sustainable methods like rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation, and making her own compost. Puleng expressed interest in expanding her business through new marketing strategies and technology, while noting challenges with limited space for production.
Breakaway session
During the breakaway session, small groups discussed gender-based violence and economic development work in faith communities. They looked at drawing on existing Economic development or Economic power activities to strengthen your GBV and Economic Power activities. And how economic activities in our communities help in preventing and responding to GBV.
Group participants shared ideas, including using gardening as a therapeutic tool for survivors, leveraging existing community economic activities, and creating employment opportunities for women. The discussion highlighted the importance of starting small, involving men in community projects, and using economic spaces as safe entry points for GBV support. Offering literacy in community projects was one suggestion. It was clear that creating employment allows more independence, self-sufficiency and the freedom to walk away from abusive situations without fear.