by Quanita Kamaar
Education is a fundamental right and a key objective of the Hunna Foundation, a non-profit company offering support and relief to women in the community. As part of its Muharram celebrations, the foundation will launch Hunna Connect, a network consisting of female professionals offering resources, opportunities, and support to women in need. The foundation will also host a winter drive on Mandela Day, collaborating with local schools and businesses to collect food items and blankets for an outreach project at Kalksteenfontein Masjid on July 27th.
According to a 2023 report by Statistics South Africa, women and youth continue to bear the burden of joblessness in the country.
“Within our communities, we have many women, including single moms who never finished matric, and mothers heading homes with children at school. They are battling to support these kids with homework and projects, so these kids can stay in school,” said founder and director Nazley Rodgers.
Hunna Foundation’s main aim is to assist and empower women from the community regardless of their religious and cultural beliefs. Rodgers further explained, “We at Hunna believe that if you empower women, you empower the nation.”
A report by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation revealed that gender biases continue in countries without clear, overt male dominance, and different forms of violence against women (VAW) are still common. In South Africa, VAW is a significant issue that holds women back from fully participating in the economy.
“Vulnerability comes not only in terms of education and unemployment; abuse of women in the home exacerbates the problem. This is why women stay in abusive relationships because they do not have an education and feel they have nowhere else to go. A woman with an education stands a better chance of making the brave move to leave,” said Rodgers.
The foundation plans to conduct workshops and empowerment programs for women and encourages professionals to join Hunna Connect.
“I was introduced to Nazley to assist her with this great project and I support her wholeheartedly. There are many women facing difficulties, and there is no assistance, especially with drugs in our community. We try to assist our people in whatever way we can,” explained co-director Thafier Felix.
Teenage pregnancy is associated with various challenges, affecting young parents and their families. Without proper support, a teen mother is less likely to finish high school and pursue a career. In a 2022 report on ‘Recorded Live Births’ by Statistics SA, 0.4% of births occurred to teenage mothers aged 10-14 years.
“Most of the children referred to us come from single-headed households run by young single mothers. We team up with schools, hosting support groups for parents and children. If the child is struggling at school or with drug addiction, we refer them to organizations offering counselling, such as the Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre. It is not always easy because when children are reintegrated back into society, they are still marginalized. I believe that everyone deserves a second chance,” emphasized Rodgers.
According to the United Nations (UN) framework on The Plan of Action for Integrating Volunteerism into the 2030 Agenda, volunteering is an untapped resource that can develop people-centric and socially inclusive communities.
“A retired schoolteacher can conduct tutoring services for youth who are struggling, empowering families who cannot afford private tutoring. We appeal to female professionals in the community to offer their assistance,” explained Rodgers.
The 2018 Statistics South Africa’s Volunteer Activities Survey revealed that women are more likely to volunteer than men. Many volunteers (62.7% in total) wanted to help a cause in which they believe and volunteered regardless of their employment status. Rodgers explains how the organization plans to use volunteers’ services:
“Many professionals might want to offer their services but do not know where to start. Through Hunna Connect, we hope to bring in volunteers who want to empower women and their families. The women we work with face various challenges, including domestic violence, divorce, homelessness, and unemployment, and we help everyone regardless of their socio-economic background.”
Hunna Connect has a database of information on women from the community who require assistance, opening opportunities for professionals passionate about empowering women and girls with access to education, skills development, and social relief.
“If you want to work with people, you cannot use a hit-and-run approach; you must be consistent and involved. Our objective is to offer career development programs, CV writing, and access to the internet for those who want to conduct research or send off their CVs. We are also prepared to assist women who require social relief in the form of money for electricity and scholar transport. My mother inspired me and always taught us as children that when you have your health and hands, you can uplift and empower others.”
“Women are the backbone of the home and the community; they are the mothers of our children. Without them, children have no direction and guidance in life,” added Felix.
The foundation has nominated Kalksteenfontein Masjid for its upcoming Mandela Month Winter Drive, collaborating with several schools in the community to assist with the collection drive on Mandela Day. The participating schools encourage their learners to contribute to the project in the form of monetary and food items. The winter drive is set to take place on Sunday, July 28th, and donations will provide 100 hot meals and blankets to uplift 20 families. For more information or to donate, Nazley Rodgers can be contacted at 072 313 7865.
Photo: HUNNA Foundation NPC /Facebook
