Stellenbosch takes the bystander message door to door

In August, the Breaking Through Team in Stellenbosch moved its 100-Day Challenge out of meeting rooms and into the streets and homes of two communities. Their goal for these 100 days is a demanding one: to equip at least 100 community members to recognise the signs of abuse, respond safely, and refer survivors to the right support services, so that more incidents are reported and communities become safer places to live.

The Breaking Through Team in Stellenbosch set a goal to equip at least 100 community members to recognise the signs of abuse, respond safely, and refer survivors to the right support services, so that more incidents are reported and communities become safer.

In August the team took the work into homes and streets. On 10 August a door-to-door campaign in Franschhoek reached 79 residents across wards 1, 2 and 3, run alongside the ward councillor, Franschhoek SAPS, the Community Police Forum, Neighbourhood Watch, SCORE and Yebo! volunteers.

On 13 August an awareness programme in Kylemore brought 50 people together with the services meant to support them: the GBV Centre Stellenbosch, the Commission for Gender Equality, StellCare, the Department of Social Development and the Thuthuzela Care Centre. Residents raised local concerns from substance abuse to community fragmentation. The team continues working towards 100 equipped community members before day 100.

Stellenbosch Municipality