News

Cape Flats women leaders in the spotlight

Roshan Abrahams|Published

Women on the Cape Flats who are the epicentre of their communities with their compassion, love and resilience, are being given the opportunity to shine.

Twenty of these community activists have been invited to be part of the Cape Flats Women Alumni by the Manenberg Safety Forum who will be hosting an exhibition and gala at Community House Old Union Building, in Salt River Road, on Saturday November 28.

The Cape Flats Women Alumni was established to celebrate these women and to recognise the effects of them not being celebrated for the “immense” work that they do daily.

“For decades, women of colour have played a big role in the shaping of communities and societies as we know them today, and with little to no academic qualifications, just their ‘street’ knowledge that they’ve gained through life experiences on their journeys,” said founder of the Cape Flats Women Alumni, Roegchanda Pascoe.

Ms Pascoe, 46, said the women were selected to receive certificates and recognition for their continuous, on-going support to their communities that they serve.

“The main objective is to celebrate, uplift and express the stories of our women community activists through expressions of various art forms.

The Cape Flats Women Alumni will also attend a four-day deep healing workshop, which will include learning to deal with fear and a tour to various communities to express the pain and adversities that they faced as women.

Following a dream Mymoena Scholtz, of Grassy Park, who is the founder of Where Rainbows Meet, in Vrygrond, was one of the first 20 community leaders selected for the Cape Flats Women Alumni.

“It makes one feel good knowing that out there people are acknowledging and appreciating what you do as a person.”

Ms Scholtz, 56, said her journey was not easy and her involvement in the community started 25 years ago, “where I went in search of my dreams and goal of uplifting myself. Coming from a huge family where education was not even considered as a good thing, I decided, in my early 30s, to pursue my dreams.

She attended New World Foundation (NWF), in Lavender Hill, where she gained training and work experience in community development.

“Working with the people made me hungry for more knowledge and the New World Foundation sent me to the University of Cape Town to study further in Adult Education. After two years I was sent to the Islamic College to study to become a social auxiliary worker. I enjoyed empowering myself because I got to know the real me. The NWF has built a strong foundation where I fell in love with community development and the empowerment of others. It was all about making sure people realise their value and potential.”

After 12 years, she felt her dreams were halfway fulfilled.

“I always wanted to start my own business and I resigned in 2007. It was very tough for me as a person leaving the place that built me, but I had to move on because I did not want to hate the things I loved and that was to serve others.

“In January 2008 the youth called Generation For Change walked from Vrygrond to my house in Grassy Park and asked me to come back. They needed me, I was very sad, but so happy to see them. I decided to go back to Vrygrond to see how I could help the people I worked with. I went to an empty space, worked from my car, and it took a while before anyone took us seriously. There was no support coming in. I worked from 8am until 6pm. When I got home, I worked from home just to search for support.”

Where Rainbows Meet was founded in 2008 its mission was to economically and socially empower the women, men, and youth of informal settlement communities through skills and development training.

“My heart belongs to my community. I started this organisation and I might not earn profits, but my profits are within the success of the people I have developed over the years,” said Ms Scholtz.

Positive changes Zelda Manuel, 52, founder of Moving Forward Community Youth and Women, in Parkwood, said she was “honoured” to be nominated to be a part of the Cape Flats Women Alumni.

Ms Manuel started community work in 2008, with a vision to help people who were oppressed and humiliated by “people who have power in government”.

“I’m also a Commissioner of Oaths and lay counsellor working in the field of gender-based violence. I was the previous secretary of Grassy Park Community Police Forum. I was working in child protection at the Department of Social Development, assisting the social workers with children who had been abused and I was earning a stipend by hour.”

Despite many challenges of criticism and insults from the community, Ms Manuel said:

“I have a passion for my work and it is not easy. However, I am steadfast and it doesn’t move me as I stand for righteousness.”

Ms Manuel also gives counselling to women and children who have been abused.

“I also assist women sometimes at court. I also assist magistrates with children that must be sent to child and youth care centres.”

Ms Manuel works closely with the social workers, police, CPF, South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the City of Cape Town with ward councillor William Akim.

“I let the youth and women know in today’s fast pace of life you have to move forward. I want to encourage and empower women and children. It is never too late to make positive changes to just move forward. Don’t be a prisoner of your past, but be a pioneer for the future.”

New possibilities Jacqueline Cupido, 31, of FaceUp Manenberg, said she had been strictly raised on the streets of Manenberg.

“As a youngster I was never allowed to roam the streets, but still had some privilege to engage with the neighbour’s children in the privacy of my yard. I had a decent upbringing despite having an alcoholic as a father and endless family feuds from uncles maliciously damaging our property and causing unrest. As a teen I went to Harold Cressy High School. The opportunity opened my mind to new possibilities and life beyond Manenberg. I fondly remember career days, I wanted to be a lawyer to defend juveniles caught in conflict with the law mostly due to circumstance,” said Ms Cupido.

After matric Ms Cupido studied financial management, and business management and in her early 20s she decided to pursue a career in social work.

“Mainly because the commerce industry has never intrigued me and I felt out of place in that field. I was obliged to study this as my parents thought it to be a good career option. I did some self reflection and searched my soul deep as to what I want out of life. I was always keen throughout my life to stand up for my peers being bullied, having social issues and standing up for what I believe in and demanding my basic human rights to be met.”

In 2015 Ms Cupido was retrenched and found it difficult to find another job. “Meanwhile I worked in my community with the kids not at school on my road. Early 2016

I was offered a job as a counsellor at Silverstream High School for six months, working with youth at risk. This experience deepened my passion to work in my community as I saw the need at hand.”

Ms Cupido said when the contract ended she and some friends decided to start their own non-profit organisation.

“FaceUp Manenberg grew as we started engaging with children all over, seeing to their needs, attending to matters of abuse and neglect.

“My passion ignited as I learnt more about human science and how they function, I saw the many social ills that plagues us and robs us from our human rights. Without further thought I found myself as an activist advocating for the rights of women and children from organising peace marches to mass youth protests against gangsterism to gathering like minded youth to start a youth collective. I work with young girls specifically, teaching them about self worth, gender-based violence, self defence and creating a sisterhood beyond the programmes we offer.”

The four-day deep healing workshop, for the 20 women, will also be open to the community. Call Ms Pascoe on 082 237 9879 if you would like to join.

The tickets for the gala can be booked at Quicket for online viewing at R50 a ticket.

The red carpet main event with a three-course meal and ceremony is R250.