Page 51 - Rural Voice III - Responding to a Pandemic

COPING WITH COVID-19 THROUGH SELF-CARE, INDIGENOUS HERBS AND PLANTING FOOD GARDENS
The coordinaTor of The ubunTu rural women and youTh movemenT, wendy pakeur, wriTes abouT The sTruggle of women in The klapmuTs area To balance caring for children and families, while seeking work and sTaving off hunger
Our vision at The Ubuntu Rural Women and Youth Movement is to enable women to make sure they have the tools to bring dignity to their lives. When the lockdown was announced, there was lots of anxiety. People were at home, they weren’t working, so there was a loss of income, with layoffs and a lot of hunger.
challenges faced by The communiTy due To The onseT of The pandemic
All the kids were at home. They didn’t have access to the school nutrition schemes, so for the parents it was an extra burden. Work in the agricultural sector was listed as essential work, so farmworkers still went to work. This meant children were at home without a suitable caregiver, which posed challenges with regard to their safety.
UBUNTU RURAL WOMEN & YOUTH MOVEMENT
The Ubuntu Rural Women and Youth Movement was established in 2011 in Klapmuts, a small town with a population of under 10,000 inhabitants. Klapmuts is situated on the northern edge of the Stellenbosch Municipality, next to the N1, in the Cape Winelands District. The local development agency focuses on educating and empowering women and youth with regard to social justice issues, including gender-based violence, labour and land rights.
DISTRICT AND MUNICIPALITY: Winelands District, Stellenbosch Municipality COVID-19 CASES: From March to the 19th November 2020, the Stellenbosch Municipality recorded 2,339 COVID-19 infections, and 2,173 recoveries. Klapmuts recorded a total of 109 cases.
COORDINATOR: Wendy Pekeur
NUMBER OF STAFF: 2, NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS: 2
BOARD CHAIR: Bahati Idolwa
BOARD MEMBERS: Jenny Fredericks; Annie Mitchel; Sophie Korkee; Hessie de Koker; Margaret Standaard; Clara Davids; Rosy Links; Angeline Louw and Margaret Matsoso ADDRESS: 61 Adams Street, Klapmuts, Western Cape, 7625
PHONE: 060 624 3215, EMAIL: wendy.pekeur@gmail.com
WEndy pEkEur
“A lot of mental health issues escalated,
like stress, depression and worry.”
RURAL VOICE III: RESPONDING TO A PANDEMIC
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