Cape town - For generations, women have found sisterhood in the untouchable bonds.
This rings true for local organisations that operate to uplift women. In celebration of Women’s Day and the spirit of honouring women this month, various organisations across the Cape are hosting programmes to shine the spotlight on women.
The theme for Women's Month is: “Women’s socio-economic rights and empowerment: building back better for women’s improved resilience”.
I Deserve It is a Landsdowne-based non-profit company (NPC) founded in 2011 by Amiena Pastor. The organisation focuses on empowering women in the community through skills development, job creation and opportunities.
One of their most recent campaigns is “Teach a man to Fish”. This aims to up-skill women from poor areas to become self-sufficient.
On Tuesday, I Deserve It will host an event to expose the women they have trained to the environment of working with clients.
Pastor said they would be hosting a day of pampering that will be open to the public.
“This is the perfect platform to empower the women we have trained. The pamper day will include foot and hair care at discounted rates, starting at R80 per person,” she said.
“Other treatments include a pedicure, neck and shoulder massage, and hair treatments,” she added.
The founder said they would love for the community to support the event.
“This event is an opportunity for our ladies to showcase what they can do. It will be liberating for so many of them who have never had any skills before coming to the organisation,” she said.
“We believe in giving people a hand-up rather than a hand-out. These skills have been passed on to them by professional facilitators,” she added.
Tarryn Le Roux started Sweet Fragrance in 2017. The NPC focuses on uplifting women’s minds, bodies and souls.
The organisation hosts fitness, counselling and education-focused programmes.
For Women’s Day, they will be hosting a buffet breakfast at Blowfish restaurant at the Dolphin Beach Hotel.
The event, Still I Rise, will host motivational talks, competitions and entertainment by musician Andrea Fortuin.
Le Roux said the purpose of the event is to fund workshops that are hosted in various communities, that include Valhalla Park, Bishop Lavis, Belhar, Sarepta and others.
“For Sweet Fragrance to continue hosting these impacting workshops, we are constantly in need of funds,” she said.
“We cater refreshments at each workshop along with a fitness class.”
The event, which has already sold out, is aimed at empowering women, Le Roux said.
“We hope women are reminded that no matter what they face in life, they can rise above it every single time,” she said.
Ariela House of Restoration was founded by Tershia Benjamin in 2021. The NPO focuses on supporting women and children that are victims of gender-based violence (GBV).
The organisation hosts outreach projects and workshops to help raise awareness and provide counselling referrals and shelter placements.
The organisation plans to host an outreach project on August 27.
“We plan on doing a food and toiletry drive and have extended it to the end of the month so that we can collect more items,” she said.
“On this day, we want to interact and connect with young women and girls from Belhar, who often live in underprivileged communities,” she said.