NURSING SCARS
Centre opens doors to traumatised women
Ratong Women Centre, a non-governmental organisation that provides psycho-economic empowerment to women survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), has officially opened its doors to more women in need.
The Centre that was established in 2019 also offers assistance to ex-courtesans, drug addicts and those at risk of living in poverty on account of trauma and or limiting beliefs.
According to the Founder and Director of the Centre, Pearl Ncube-Hassen, research has established that the depreciating self-value in women is a result of a myriad of trauma caused by GBV, stigma, lack of professional skills and unemployment opportunities.
She said the centre aims to bridge the gap by empowering women, while instilling their selfworth and identity. The programme provides a safe platform for women to heal, re-identify themselves, while gaining skills that create meaningful income for themselves and their families.
The centre reaches out to women of ages 18 to 50 who seek psychoeconomic empowerment.
“We also offer women weekly group counselling sessions and one-on-one counselling, and train them on basket weaving, baking, sewing, crocheting and other crafts,” Ncube-Hassen said.
The centre also plans to ultimately export their products to other countries through skilling beneficiaries.
Initially the centre started as a support group offering counselling for women, as well as monthly workshops in the community. Six women were trained in 2021 on basket weaving skills and today the centre has registered 32 women in Gaborone and surroundings under basket weaving baking, sewing and crocheting.
Speaking at the launch that began with a 5.5km awareness walk from Sarona city mall to the centre premises in Broadhurst on Saturday, Ncube Hassen said their organisation is rooted in love, healing and peace for women.
Catherine Ayo, a beneficiary, was admitted at the centre in February this year after undergoing traumatic experiences and unresolved issues.
“The centre helped me through the resident psychologist and counsellor to deal with my insecurities and now I am healed and more confident,” she said, adding that as a Ugandan national, she also experienced a lot of discrimination in the community.
Another beneficiary, Mariam Joel first came to the centre as a broken woman in 2019, and through the intense counselling sessions, she has been able to bounce back and find purpose in her life. She added that economic activities at the centre have also enabled her to regain her confidence and self-worth.
Area Member of Parliament, Mpho Balopi, who was part of the walk said the efforts of the centre are welcome, considering the amount of need women in communities have.
“The centre is responding to government’s desire to transform the country from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy,” he said, adding that skilling people to ensure that they become self-sustaining is critical.
Balopi said the centre would change the status quo that women are the face of poverty. He further highlighted that women face several challenges including raising children single handedly.
“About 70 percent of children in Africa have no influence from men, therefore women should be supported,” he said.
He appealed to members of the community to support such initiatives, further stating that the challenge in Botswana is that when a local is doing a good job, many oppose it.
“The problem with us is that instead of supporting such a noble gesture, we will start to hate what is being done. We have a serious problem of pull them down syndrome. Let us allow those that excel and progress in our communities to do, without us standing in their way,” he said.