Healing Hands Community Project

What is the Healing Hands Community Project: The Healing Hands Foundation is located in Central in Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth, and is a registered NGO/ NPO It was a facility opened in 2010, focusing on Women and their children, who have been affected by Domestic Violence. Healing hands occupies one residential facility, at 12 Whitlock Street in the suburb of Central, Port Elizabeth, run by (Maggie) Magdalene Bangaree and her team, it homes and protects as well as provides a haven to women and their children who have had to leave where they live due to Gender Based Violence, Why was this facility opened? In 2010, the director Maggie noticed there was a great need for a shelter as ... read more What is the Healing Hands Community Project: The Healing Hands Foundation is located in Central in Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth, and is a registered NGO/ NPO It was a facility opened in 2010, focusing on Women and their children, who have been affected by Domestic Violence. Healing hands occupies one residential facility, at 12 Whitlock Street in the suburb of Central, Port Elizabeth, run by (Maggie) Magdalene Bangaree and her team, it homes and protects as well as provides a haven to women and their children who have had to leave where they live due to Gender Based Violence, Why was this facility opened? In 2010, the director Maggie noticed there was a great need for a shelter as the rate of domestic violence is so high in South Africa, international stats confirmed that S.A. has one of the highest incidences in the world, with that she decided to open a safe haven for the many victims that suffer each day in the Eastern Cape, that have no place to run too when in danger. One other area that Maggie identified was the high incidence of HIV, in the Eastern Cape, and once again South Africa has the highest rate of HIV and Aids in the world, and she identified that some cases that approached her where effected as well as being victims of domestic violence, so with this in mind she decided to acquire a building and proceeded to develop an holistic approach for victims, that included assistance for those who are diagnosed with HIV, and also those that have drug addiction and as well as providing counselling for all. Due to the continuous rise in Domestic Violence Cases over the years, the need for a larger facility to house these victims is growing every day. The building in Russel Road, namely the 6 Flatlets within that building, will suit our purposes ideally. It will be the perfect Haven for our GBV Victims. Over the 10 years the Healing hands foundation has assisted hundreds of women and their children, and have been there day and night, saving lives and offering hope where there was none, Maggie with her wonderful team of helpers, are there to make others' lives better safe and happy. The Healing Hands Foundation started as a vehicle to help victims of domestic violence, by one woman who had a dream, and by her hard work and determination, she has succeeded in providing a safe facility with many services to assist , inform and educate, counsel, empower those that felt they had no future, with her team she have given them that, a bright future, and what was once started as a dream is now a labour of love. "The meaning of your life is to help others to find the meaning of theirs" Victor. E. Frankl. Building Requirements: In order to continue our work and to continue providing a safe house for those in dire need, we are in need of suitable premises. The building in Russell Road, namely, the 6 flatlets that are available will be ideally suited for our purposes. It is safe and secure and will be the perfect haven for our victims. Whilst they will not be alone they will at the same time have some measure of privacy and solitude to be able to heal and deal with their situations. The environment in which they are able to retreat to is very important in their journey to healing and moving forward toward safer, independent lives. What does Healing Hands provide: As many survivors that make their way to healing hands leave their dangerous situation in a hurry, they don't have time to pack a bag, or even take with them their most important items for themselves and their children, as in most cases this is a life and death situation, Maggie and her team provide: 1) Clothing for the mum and the children, 2) Nappies and baby food 3) O.T.C. meds for children and mums e.g.: cough meds, cold meds, teething and baby needs. 4) Provide transport to clinics and hospitals, police stations, court. 5) 3x wholesome meals a day 6) Assistance with Orders of protection 7) Counselling for all survivors and children 8) Safe and secure home 9) Clean and comfy bedroom 10) Training and empowerment 11) Availability to a social worker 12) HIV assistance and information by trained counsellor 13) Drug and addition assistance by a trained counsellor The facility: 1) Healing Hands is open 7 days a week and is the only shelter in Port Elizabeth that is open every day including holidays, the shelter never closes. 2) It has a 24-hour service, and prides itself in understanding that abuse happens, not just during the day, as well las being the only shelter that is available at any time day or night. 3) Has on its staff, a fully qualified social worker, fully qualified drug counsellor, fully qualified HIV counsellor. 4) Healing Hands does not discriminate regarding religion, all faiths are welcome, and each family can pray in the faith of their choice, be it, Christian, Muslim, Judaism, or any faith they choose. What is available to the survivors: 1. Families can stay at the facility until they feel safe to move on to family, or have their Order of Protection, most shelters only keep families for 3 to 4 weeks, Healing Hands realizes that this is not acceptable, as three to four weeks is not long enough to establish themselves, and to be settled into a safe and viable situation. 2. Unfortunately keeping women and their families in shelters in the Eastern Cape for three to four weeks is the norm for other facilities, but not for Healing Hands as their caring is not based on what the shelter can afford but what is desperately needed for a victim or family who have been abused. The focus is always on the victims needs. 3. Healing Hands also is very different than other shelters in that they will not separate young boys from their mothers when over the age of 12, as most facilities do, these families have been through so much trauma that separating a young child from its mother is traumatic for both parties, and very destructive and harmful. 4. As Maggie lives very close to the facility, if she is needed by a family, she makes herself available, anytime day or night. Needs of Healing Hands: As the facility is not supported by the government, Maggie and her team spend quite a lot of time, sending out funding requests, as a lot of what is done at the shelter is provided by Maggie, it's a tough road and help is required, from the community and overseas. The monthly costs of running Healing Hands are: This includes: Telephone Electricity Water Fuel for the vehicle to assist the families Food Baby needs e.g.: nappies, baby food, clothing. Medical costs, meds and Dr visits etc. Upkeep of house Purchasing bedding from time to time Purchasing new pillows every month, for hygiene reasons. Purchasing bus tickets for families that relocate to family in other provinces. Rent of facility Insurance Stationary Security Salaries Maintenance (repairs for building) What do we need each month to keep us open? We need R60.000.00 per month to keep us afloat, but we are very grateful for any amount that your company can fund us with, as you can see, we provide everything that our families need, and we are desperate to continue, our shelter as it is greatly needed here in Port Elizabeth, and if we close, many women and their children will most likely stay in their violent situations. Who does Healing Hands help: Women and their children affected by all forms of Domestic Violence, physical, emotional, psychological, financial, sexual, religious, verbal, control, stalking, honor killing or threats, FGM. LGBT domestic violence, harassment. Healing Hands is aware that in South Arica: 1) Intimate partner violence is the most common form of domestic violence in South Africa and the leading cause of death of South African women. 2) South Africa has the highest rate of Domestic Violence in the world. 3) South Africa has the highest rate of rape in the world. 4) More women are killed by their current or former partner in South Africa than any other country in the world. 5) Every 6/8 hours a woman dies at the hands of an intimate partner in South Africa 6) Every 4 minutes a woman is raped in South Africa. 7) 30% of all women on the globe are affected by domestic violence. 8) South Africa has double the amount of domestic violence of that in the USA. 9) Compared to 2 women die in the United Kingdom each week. More women have died due to domestic violence in the world than all the car accidents, all diseases, all wars, that have ever happened, added together. Domestic Violence is the biggest killer of women in the world. And out of all the countries in the world South African women suffer more Healing Hands must stay open, that's why we need you. Please support Healing hands, we need funding to support our families, and to empower them and educate so that they may have a bright future, we are not supported by the government, and we rely on your support. Yes we need food, clothing, and lots of other items for our survivors, but we have to stay open to assist them, to keep this valuable facility open we have to have funding, that's the cold hard truth if you are unable to provide the monthly funding, any amount will be a tremendous help, domestic violence is the biggest crime in South Africa, mostly against women, and its people such as Maggie and her wonderful team, saving lives, she cannot do it on her own, she needs you as over a 100.000 women and children do each month in S.A.