Did you know that South Africa's gender-based violence (GBV) rates are 5 x the global average and that it is the most unsafe place in the world to live if you are a woman (and this even includes countries at war)!
Did you know that 1 in every 3 women in South Africa experience GBV, a woman is murdered every 6 hours, and 40% of woman or girl children will be raped in their lifetime?
Gender-based violence continues to violate the human rights of all girls and women in South Africa, and as BTS Army - we are going to do everything we can to stop this!
On the 6th October 2018, an incredible human rights organisation in South Africa called The Justice Desk launched "The Mbokodo Club" Project which was inspired by RM of BTS' speech at The United Nations. Being ARMY themselves, they were inspired by the following words:
“No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin colour, your gender identity; just speak yourself. Find your name and find your voice by speaking yourself.” - Kim Namjoon.
In response to this, they launched "The Mbokodo Club” (The Rock Club) project which works with young girl survivors of rape and Gender-Based Violence. The project offers vulnerable girl survivors from poverty stricken communities, leadership and empowerment workshops, mental health care, trauma counselling, and self-defence and fitness classes. The young girls we work with are between the ages of 9 and 19 and come from vulnerable communities in South Africa.
The project focuses on the following:
- Empowerment workshops: Our girls are empowered through various lessons and skills development sessions, such as training on: gender-based violence, human rights education, sexual health, leadership development, public speaking, body image, and self-confidence.
- Mental health support: Our girls are supported through mental health resilience workshops (such as guided meditation, yoga, journaling, and reflection). The girls also attend regular trauma counselling and have access to a social worker.
- Fitness and self-defence: Specialised fitness sessions are run with our young girls which include boxing sessions and self-defence classes, which build their overall confidence and ability to escape physical assaults or attacks.
As BTS Army South Africa, we raised the first few funds needed to start this project off and physically volunteer as mentors to girls in the project. We are trained by TJD in how to identify trauma triggers, how to educate and empower our girls, as well as how to care for and mentor young survivors of rape.
We are also committed to continuing our advocacy efforts to lobby for law changes so that the rights of all women and girls are protected, and that offenders are prosecuted. BTS Army in South Africa is committed to not just saying that we are against GBV, but to actually going out there and physically volunteering our time, skills and energy to this incredible project, which was inspired by BTS to end GBV.
We are calling on our fellow BTS Army from across the globe to join our movement and support our efforts to end gender-based violence and run this phenomenal project. The more funds we raise, the more girls can access the project and no girl should ever be left behind! When you donate, please put in your details so that we can send a special thank you from our girls in South Africa who have benefitted from the project:)
Watch our 'BTS X MBOKODO' video below:
https://youtu.be/fuhtjyloUwU
Website: https://www.justicedesk.org/ap...
Social media: @thejusticedesk
Contact: info@justicedesk.org or call +27606271963
