Berlin Clinic, Eastern Province

On the 20^{th of} April 2022, RWA Eastern Cape visited Berlin clinic to raise Gender Based Violence awareness, to introduce UNDROP and its implications to rural women, youth and children. We also prepared food for patients because we understand that they might be hungry due to long queues in our clinics.  

The community was very happy to hear the message from RWA because there is a high rate of Gender Based Violence in the area and they asked us to have more Gender Based Violence education Regularly so that they can have more knowledge of dealing with the matter.  The community also requested to be trained in Agroecology and promised to identify vacant lands in their areas which they can practice Agroecology in.  Since the accessing the land is difficult in our communities, RWA Eastern Cape is determined in working with the communities to help them access those land once they are identified so we can start with the Agroecology training.

We are glad that more women were interested in joining Rural Women’s Assembly and we are happy to be welcoming more members to our family. However, it was heartbreaking to hear from the community that hunger is their biggest challenge due to high unemployment rate in the area. There is also lack of information on what is happening worldwide because these communities are based in far rural areas where information takes a long time or it never even reach them.  The women sadly told us that domestic violence and bullying is affecting their children’s education very badly and they have no idea on how to deal with the matters. 

“The community told us their challenges and pleaded with us to come regularly and give them more information. They welcomed us with open arms and as RWA Eastern Cape we want to do more, and we wish to have more resources to be able to help our communities in need”. Said our Eastern Cape Media Coordinator Sister Dimpho Zansti

Dimpho continued to tell us of her experience in Berlin Clinic “We really need to assist rural women in all aspects of life because rural women are suffering in silence, some were even affected by the hurricane havoc that took place in Eastern Cape last year and beginning of this year and they haven’t got any assistance.  They still don’t have proper housing and access to clean water.  Their children looked very sick.  I noticed malnutrition in other kids, and I guess some of the sickness in those kids is caused by dirty water and bad living conditions in their communities”