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Lesedi la Batho Community Centre
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A Story of Hope this Christmas

17/12/2020

 
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...Margaret*’s story continues!
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In August this year, we were able build 3 low-cost homes for women in dire need, also known as a "shack". Margaret was one of them, a 38 year-old-woman from Zimbabwe who came to South Africa in 2017 in search of a better life for her and her young children. She couldn’t find work, due to being a foreigner, so when a friend introduced her to commercial sex work, she had no other option but to say yes.

Lesedi la Batho met Margaret in June on a food drive. At this point, she had been selling her body to support her small family and in an abusive relationship for 3 years. Despite his constant apologies and promises to change, her boyfriend's violence and threats was only becoming worse - and she was starting to fear for her life.

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Homes for Vulnerable Women

21/9/2020

 
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​At the beginning of August, the month we celebrate Women's Month in South Africa, we met three women - Astrid*, Margaret* and Refilwe*, each with different stories but the same plea - their own safe space to call home. Their situations were desperate and we couldn't turn them away, so we released a call for help to raise funds to build them each a low-cost home, and were positively overwhelmed by the instant response. Within just 2 days, we had enough money to go ahead with the building!


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​University Students Prepare for Computer Lab reopening!

23/7/2020

 
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The saying "it takes a village" comes to life when volunteers put their unique skill sets to work to increase and improve our impact in Mabopane.

This past weekend, a group of 5 students from the University of Pretoria's JCP Module volunteered in our computer lab, improving infrastructure and software systems - a long-awaited project disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown restrictions. 

Their handiwork came just in time for us to reopen several of our free skills training courses for community members. Computer Skills is by far our most popular course, and, being a highly desired skill in the workplace, has enabled numerous learners to secure employment in various fields. 


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Mandela Day 2020: Offering Hope for Women

21/7/2020

 
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Lesedi la Batho was very fortunate to celebrate Mandela Day 2020 (Saturday 18 July) in Mabopane this year, amidst the chaos and perpetual need. As a non-profit organisation, we strive to empower vulnerable women who have survived rape, abuse and trauma to rediscover their self-worth and become more independent. We offer free skills training and job placement assistance, support groups and counselling, referrals to supporting institutions and emergency relief such as food parcels and clothing donations. 

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International Fundraiser Wins Award for Her Efforts!

9/6/2020

 
Congratulations to Katherine Leonard from New Jersey, USA for winning the GivenGain Foundation "Most Creative" fundraiser award! We are honoured to be on the receiving end of your skill, compassion and commitment - a true force for change altogether!

Kate was one of five students from Fordham University in New Jersey, USA who landed on South African soil early this year for a 6-month community engagement project with Lesedi la Batho. They were just mapping out their project ideas, when their experience was cut short as they were hurried back to their home country just before the international lockdowns at the end of March.

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Restored Hope for Young Female Soccer Players

30/3/2020

 
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The Lesedi Strikers at a training session, taking place three times per week in Mabopane
Rays of Hope, a foundation based in Germany which has supported the work of Lesedi la Batho for several years, have brought new life and revival to the Lesedi Strikers Ladies Football Team in Mabopane, South Africa. The semi-professional team, coached by Nhlanhla Maseko - CAF A licensed coach and former Banyana Banyana centre forward, was founded in 2011 to improve the soccer skills of talented young black female soccer players while proactively teaching them essential life skills. In recent years, the program slowed due to a lack of funding, however in January 2020, Rays of Hope revived this story of hope and a future for young black female soccer players in Mabopane by generously sponsoring the program, and our ladies would like to say THANK YOU! 

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ratanang says thank you to the idsa!

3/3/2020

 
It was a very exciting day at Lesedi la Batho when we welcomed our special guests from the IDSA and the Embassy of Georgia!

Thank you to our visitors who not only took the time out of their very busy schedules to visit our community centre, but also donated one whole month of groceries for the Ratanang Day Care children!

The lovely Mrs Nino is the President of the IDSA (International Diplomatic Spouses' Association), and her husband, Mr Beca Dvali, is currently serving as the Ambassador of Georgia to the Republic of South Africa. Mrs Elena, from Bulgary, is the General Secretary for the IDSA. The IDSA South Africa members comprise of the spouses of accredited Heads of missions and accredited spouses based in South Africa. The objective of the organisation is to promote cultural and social exchange between members of the Diplomatic Corps and South Africans. IDSA extend assistance and support to various charitable organisations in South Africa, including Lesedi la Batho.

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support for young men in mabopane

3/3/2020

 
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​We at Lesedi la Batho believe that in order to empower vulnerable women, we must first empower their men, which is why we were thrilled to welcome our partners at Community Media Trust to host the first Man2Man workshop at our community centre. 

The workshop is aimed at men of ages 15-47 years old, and creates a safe space to talk about and inform young men on key topics such as including Condom Usage, Voluntary and Medical Male Circumcision, HIV Testing and Gender Based Violence. 
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Gender-based violence is a key social issue in our community, and many others in rural South Africa - one which we simply must do our best to address and improve. Lesedi la Batho provides support for vulnerable women including teenage mothers, victims of GBV, commercial sex workers and unemployed single mothers. 

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welcome to our blog!

2/3/2020

 
Dear Lesedi friends, partners & supporters,

Welcome the Lesedi la Batho blog! Stay in touch with our latest stories, beneficiary testimonials, partnerships, events and achievements right here in the “Our News” section of our website.

As they say, happiness is only real when shared - and we have a lot of positivity to share - thanks to YOU!

​We hope you enjoy sharing in real, positive, uplifting stories from our community centre in Mabopane, South Africa… 

Together, we create hope!
The Lesedi la Batho Team
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  • Our Programs
    • Skills Training
    • Job Placements
    • Social Enterprise Development
    • Community Support
    • Women Empowerment
    • Youth Development
    • Ratanang Day Care Centre
    • Sports
    • Special Projects >
      • Fill-A-Bag Food Parcel Project
      • Kago-Entle: Fair Trade Gifting
  • About Us
    • COVID-19 Response
    • Contact Us
    • Resource Room
  • Blog
  • Get Involved
    • Upcoming Events
    • Volunteers
    • Strategic Partnerships
    • Mission Ambassadors
  • Donate