Safer Spaces
“According to Western Cape government, 1 in every 3 women and 1 in 10 men are HIV+ “
Free of Judgement
Most new infections come from young people, and research has shown that younger people often feel unwelcome or intimidated to go to health clinics due to stigma within the community. By providing a safe space, free of judgment, with on-site health services, Amandla has raised the HIV testing rate from 10% to over 80%, and offered education and increased openness around this and other diseases.
But that’s only one of our life-altering programmes. The aim of our Safer Spaces is to provide a nurturing space for vulnerable youth to meet and access services in a friendly environment.
Safer Spaces Programme Includes:
- Sexual Reproductive Health Services, including discussions, testing and counseling on issues including family planning, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, abortion, STI’s, endemic diseases, substance abuse and more.
- Counseling and Mentorship, providing psycho-social support, comprehensive life skills and a space for information sharing and learning. There are one-on-one as well as group sessions, allowing students to safely discuss sex, relationships, LGBTQ support, rights, and any other issues they might be facing.
- The Dance Programme offers a creative space for youth that embodies the spirit of the children. Dancing is a form of expression and joy, encouraging children to unite body and spirit and realize their dreams.
- Music, Drama and Art also provide a creative outlet. These guided classes offer young people the opportunity and tools to express their feelings in different media. The Philippi Music Project teaches DJ lessons and records new artists in our studio.
- The IT Centre offers a quiet study area, complete with computers and internet access where students can conduct research and do their homework. We provide space for our youth to interact, to create, and to grow, but also to look inward and to focus on succeeding academically.
Place of Hope
The Safer Spaces have become a place of hope, education, learning, expression, joy and the sharing of ideas. We believe that through honest, open discussions on sexual reproductive health and HIV risks, we can lower the number of new infections and unintended pregnancies. In addition, we offer LGBTQ support groups to vulnerable teens, a home base free from the violence of the streets, and classes that include dance, art and music.
From providing a safe haven to sharing life skills to joyfully dancing together, we can make a difference to the Philippi youth struggling with poverty and its associated challenges.
We’re not trying to do this alone.
Rather, our mission is to bring in the community and bridge the gap between children and the services already in place.
Amandla Development, the Western Cape Department of Health, and several community partners are in partnership to strengthen the ability of community structures and networks to prevent HIV infection, unintended pregnancies, school dropout and the other poverty-related issues youth in Philippi face. We also combine forces to support those living with HIV while meeting sexual health needs in context-specific and age-appropriate ways.
