A Beacon Of Hope

According to SBCWC director, Bernadine Bachar, the centre has assisted over 190 000 people to date.

- Anna Trapido

According to SBCWC director, Bernadine Bachar, the centre has assisted over 190 000 people to date. “We operate in an area that has very high crime rates; there’s gangsterism, domestic violence, child abuse and substance abuse all around us, but our motto is ‘violence ends here’”, she shares.

And to prove this, residential programme manager, Dorothea Gertse, oversees the 24- hour crisis response shelter – or Residential Programme, as it’s formally known – which is almost always full to capacity. Within this safe space, up to 120 women and children have access to holistic social work and support, which includes free psychosocial care, legal advice, economic development training, substance abuse rehabilitation and early childhood development programmes.