ActionAid South Africa and the Justice Desk together with partner organisations in Cape Town; the Joint Peace Forum and womxn for Change, hosted young mothers and girls in The Wilderness of Cape Town for the I DEFINE ME camp. These young womxn and girls were gathered for a purpose of curative space and isolation moment to get away from the demands of everyday life. Most of them are teenage mothers facing financial challenges and the transition into motherhood is a challenge for them.
The I DEFINE ME project focuses on young womxn between the ages of 15 and 21 who are affected by violence in their communities. The project aims to help lessen the anxiety and offer support in issues they faced within their daily lives- also enabling communities to learn how young womxn can contribute to creating alternatives in society which challenge the normalisation of violence.
The girls spent the night under the stars which is meant for them to reconnect with nature and start their restorative journey. The nights were a good time for the participants as they reflected on their lives and their journeys as individuals while they lay on their back watching the stars. They got the opportunity to share similar experiences and engage in meaningful conversations with their peers.
One of the participants of the camp was Nosipho* who is part of a family of 20 sharing one bedroom. Similar to Nosipho most womxn and girls face similar traumatic challenges in their homes.
The Wilderness, a farm that is owned by a former MK Errol April, was divided into two campsites one for the girls and the other for the facilitators. AA also supported this initiative with sleeping bags.