Fashion plan to help the abused

AN AMBITIOUS initiative between retail group Edcon, a UN women’s group and KwaZuluNatal authorities will empower abused women living in shelters with skills in fashion design and specialist sewing, effectively providing them with financial security – and hope.

Edcon and its flagship chain, Edgars, originally launched the Edgars Unite Orange Day project in Gauteng last November and has expanded the initiative to KwaZulu-Natal, working with the national and provincial fashion councils.

Similar to the Gauteng programme, 39 women survivors of gender-based violence, who live in shelters around Durban, will also receive training in sewing and basic elements of fashion design.

During this week’s launch, Edcon chief executive and managing director Bernie Brooks said education, training and financial independence were vital in overcoming violence.

However, South Africa also had to recognise violence was not a women’s issue, but a community one, and that men played a significant role in changing the culture around violence.

The KZN launch was the second of nine planned nationwide over the next few years with the initiative being a springboard to assist abused women.

Given Edcon has more than 1 500 retail stores, the group has the platform from which to help abused women and provide them with financial security.

“South Africa has an abundance of cases of rape and violence, a crime that has no race, class, nationality or age, but it does have a gender,” he said.

Edcon transformation general manager Elelwane Pahlana said the Gauteng success indicated the retailer was on the right path and reflected South Africa’s ability to find solutions to job creation.

Its short to medium-term plan was to ensure the women were sufficiently proficient to produce garments to become Edcon suppliers.

This forms part of the company’s enterprise development programme, effectively empowering women without hope to become economically independent and productive members of society.

UN Women South Africa multicountry office representative, Anne Githuku-Shongwe, said economic empowerment meant the women were less vulnerable to abuse and exploitation and more able to lead fulfilled lives.

KZN economic development, tourism and environmental affairs MEC Sihle Zikalala said this project was a practical, implementable programme to accelerate female empowerment, specifically among abused women.

KwaZulu-Natal designers involved in training the women include Vanessa Pillay, Francois Vedemme, Thembeka Vilakazi, Terrence Bray, Gregg Wallis and Kathrin Kidger.