16 Days of Activism: Ikhaya Lethemba
Ikhaya Lethemba is a place of safety for women who are survivors of domestic abuse.
These women tell stories of physical, sexual, financial, verbal and emotional abuse having been part of some of their lives.
The project started in 2003 in partnership with the Department of Community Safety in Gauteng.
It is based in Braamfontein and takes in over a thousand women and their children every year for a period of between six to nine months depending on their individual needs.
Gauteng Department of Community Safety spokesperson, Thapelo Moiloa, says the facility offers a range of services for the women and their children.
Moiloa says to sustain the facility they rely on both government and the private sector.
A daycare centre, gym and hair salon have already been donated.
The organisation also partner with other NGO's including the Teddy Bear Clinic, for further assistance.
Ikhaya Lethemba and the department also run projects that help men understand and talk about abuse and raise awareness about the LGTBIQ community.