Paheja Siririka
Isai Sipunga
A concerned community member from the Okuryangava informal settlement says most of the violent incidents in their community are avoidable.
To avert these incidences from recurring, robust awareness is needed to sensitise communities to gender-based violence (GBV), the Okuryangava resident, who asked not to be named, said.
She said this to New Era last week during the send-off of 35 trained leaders and advocates to Namibian communities to help eliminate GBV under the United States Agency for International Development’s Reach Namibia ‘SASA! Together’ initiative.
“Gender-based violence is indeed prevalent in our community, particularly here in Okuryangava. Recently, I witnessed a disturbing incident, where a man was stabbed by a woman. The conflict arose because the man failed to pay her for washing his clothes, a task she had initially volunteered to do,” she recalled.
The bartender added the incident highlights the urgent need for community education and information-sharing sessions regarding GBV.
“By educating our community members, we can foster a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and work towards preventing such violence in the future. It’s essential to create a safe space for dialogue and support, ensuring that everyone understands the importance of respect and non-violence in our daily interactions,” she indicated.
‘SASA! Together’ is derived from the Kiswahili word meaning ‘now’, and embodies urgency in its mission to eliminate violence against women and girls, going beyond mere programmatic endeavours and evolving into a movement driven by individuals to mitigate norms and practices that contribute to violence. The programme empowers and champions community-led activism, and encourages individuals to root out violence through collective action and advocacy.
The trained leaders and advocates are tasked with engaging family, friends and neighbours in scheduled discussions that spark self-reflection and critical thinking – all to reinforce positive societal norms and stop harmful behaviour.
Community leader Danny Goagoseb said the training empowered him on how to deal with people, in general, and how to address GBV issues.
“I got equipped to sit and talk with people, and get them to critically think about how they are abusing other people, and the impact it has on others. I am also equipped to deal with survivors, or those being abused,” he stated.
He said the training empowered him, and made him realise the impact relationships have on society.
“We come from Katutura – and most people describe it as a violent neighbourhood. These things start in one house, and the violence spreads just like that. To the community out there, let’s think of our actions. What we say to children, and the insults we say when we get irritated, can have far-reaching consequences for them,” added Goagoseb. Social worker Charlene Uakuramenua noted that “If we can overcome these power imbalances and help people understand how power can be used positively, rather than negatively, then we will have made significant progress in overcoming gender-based violence in our communities and relationships”.
“In Namibia, alcohol abuse is a major challenge in our communities. As a social worker, I’ve often encountered situations where men are unable to express their frustrations and anger, which then manifest as physical violence. Alcohol abuse, a lack of nurturing for men to express themselves and poverty all contribute to this issue. In desperate situations, people may sacrifice themselves, to violence or violent relationships just to survive,” she told New Era.
Uakuramenua said the goals of the project are sustainability and ownership. “We want them to apply the skills learned through these trainings to other communities. The SASA! programme is done in phases. We are currently in the start phase, using discussions, posters, flyers and conversations to challenge power dynamics and help people evaluate their actions’ impact on society,” she indicated.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) country representative McDonald Homer emphasised the significance of the launch, saying “represents a significant step forward in our collective efforts – both men and women – to eliminate gender-based violence and promote dignity for all.
“SASA! Together serves as a key intervention under ‘Reach Namibia’, a US government programme funded by the president’s emergency plan for AIDS relief through USAID.” The five-year programme helps to prevent new HIV infections and improve HIV and TB treatment for adolescents, children and youth. ‘Reach Namibia’ is implemented by Project HOPE Namibia and a consortium of partners in eight regions across the country.
‘SASA! Together’ is first being rolled out to constituencies in Khomas, and will be expanded to other regions over the coming months.