Our Programs
SafePlace Units
We set up SafePlace Units in close proximity (within 1km) of rural and underserved communities that act as an immediate places of safety for vulnerable people in those communities around the Port Shepstone area. Many of the people we serve are victims of abuse, gender-based violence, rape, and sexual assault.
Our goal is to provide immediate physical safety in our secure units, emotional safety provided by our trained site managers and security guards, and to begin to walk the road of healing for those who have experienced trauma.
Secure
SafePlaces are built secure: with safe lock-up facility, surrounded by security fences and slam lock doors in order to assist someone quickly and securely.
Trained
A trained, female site manager is on duty at night. Our Social Workers are on-call for tele-help and units are monitored by audio/visual technology with additional security on-call.
Trauma-Informed
Each unit has a trauma-informed SafeSpace room for a victim to be safely held in until he/she can be transported to the relevant hospital or police facility for their needs to be attended to.
Social Services
While spending time getting to know our community, SafePlace recognised the need for long term, pyscho-social support for people who have experienced trauma or abuse in their lives. To address this need, we have our very own team of trained social workers who are available in the afternoons and on weekends to provide counselling, family support, or assistance navigating government systems in order to best find social, emotional, and spiritual healing.
Our social services team offer free consultations to anybody who asks, and also receive referrals from local schools who identify a need with the students. They focus on empowerment through group work and community-lead practices.
SafePlay
Each Unit has its own version of SafePlay that uniquely finds ways to engage with the youth who live nearby, providing after school homework, activities and sports, and whatever means necessary to keep our youth away from the negative influences of drug, alcohol, and abuse, and to help them to break the cycles of abuse within their own families and communities. In addition to our trained SafePlay staff, a member of our social services team is always on hand if a child needs to talk or disclose anything to an adult.
SafePlay is also a vital way for our team to get to know those in the community by doing house visits, fun days, and after school programs.
Wave of Hope
Genesis Wave of Hope is a Surf Academy Started by Philani Sikobi. It aims to use surf as a tool to mentor and support young people from our SafePlace communities and create world changing leaders through the powerful medium of Surf.
Food Security
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic arriving on South African shores, and with our communities struggling with massive food insecurity, we launched our food security program. This program aims to deliver food parcels to every family within our SafePlace, SafePlay, and Wave of Hope programs, along with a small growbag garden to encourage food production and sustainable living. We have been overwhelmed with the positive response from our community, and are so proud of those who have learned to tend a garden.
