Click here to listen to the mp3 advert for The Salvation Army's anti-human trafficking message

Click here to watch the footage taken by News24 at the Long Walk for Rhino's Mandela Day initiative at Robben Island School. (QVC donated Media Liaison to this initiative as part of its Mandela Day initiatives)

 Quo Vadis Communications on a field trip to KwaZulu Natal for client, Siyazisiza Trust.

Victoria Makalima, assistant Director for the Johnson and Johnson Burn Treatment Centre (left) and Roger Crawford, Executive Director, Worldwide Government Affairs and Policy for Johnson & Johnson (back right) happily assisted Nurse Ester Manson and clinical officer William Kalua from Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi throughout their two-week specialised training session at the Burn Treatment Centre at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. The training took place as a result of a public private partnership between the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johnson & Johnson, and the University of North Carolina in USA. The hospital in Malawi recently opened a burn unit and the hands-on training Ester and William received at the leading burn treatment centre in Africa, will no doubt make a huge difference in the lives of those in need.

This year’s campaign comes in the wake of two very disturbing incidents in which a Johannesburg school girl was allegedly gang-raped at Jules High School and a Doctor allegedly raped by patients at Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein.

The Salvation Army is acutely aware that women are abused every day and its various programmes to deal with the issue continue through all 365 days every year.

“Violence against women and children is a very serious issue in our communities and one that everyone should take responsibility for. It is time for ordinary citizens to stop walking past and ignoring these issues. 

“It’s a matter of taking responsibility and we are encouraging people to report any cases of abuse to their nearest Salvation Army, Child Welfare, Childline or the South African Police Services. Abuse happens every day, so let us be conscious of it and refuse to turn a blind-eye to it,” said Marieke Venter, the Salvation Army’s Divisional Director for Women’s Ministries in Gauteng.

The Salvation Army runs a number of shelters, orphanages and centres that protect support and rehabilitate abused women and children.

Many of these women are referred to the shelters through agencies such as trauma units at police stations, hospitals and rape crisis centres as well as friends and family.  The centres provide clothing, food and a variety of rehabilitation programmes.

Counselling is an important part of these women’s and children’s stay at the shelters. Most of the centres have trained social workers on their staff but there are others that utilise outsourced social workers.

The 16 Days of Activism Campaign is a United Nations initiative, which takes place annually from 25 November to 10 December. This campaign focuses primarily on generating an increased awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children as well as society as a whole.

Last changed: Nov 30 2010 at 12:03 PM