Kwanele
Kwanele South Africa is a start-up nonprofit organization that supports women who are victims of gender-based violence. Gender based violence is such a widespread problem in South Africa that it affects over 41,000 women a year. Since the lockdown, there has been a 500 percent increase in that number. GBV and rape culture is a pandemic in itself. Kwanele is currently developing an app to combat GBV by providing a community of support, giving access to emergency help, and providing resources for prosecuting these crimes. The benefits of an app like this will include:
- Providing trauma support to girls and women who are abuse victims
- Developing GBV-training for outreach workers, so that they can provide support and guidance throughout different communities of Cape Town. This assures that each emergency call to the “Elexis Champions” will be attended by a GBV-trained professional.
- Providing legal support to abuse victims, which can include court preparations, legal advice, and logistical support to ensure women can get to court houses.
- Tracking GBV cases, in order to increase the number of cases being reported and individuals accessing help
- Doing research into trends around gender based violence, and using data and strategic partnerships to support family restoration, both for the victim and the perpetrator.
Kwanele is using innovative technology to fulfill a true need in the communities of South Africa. While the company is still a start-up, Kwanele provides a unique opportunity to help launch this organization.
