Grace Help Centre is a registered NPO and PBO in the North West that has over 18 years' experience in providing emergency care, shelter and the necessary support for victims of gender-based violence (GBV) and human-trafficking as well as abandoned new-borns and children victims of abuse. Although the numbers fluctuate, 96% of the beneficiaries of the organisation are from previously disadvantaged communities - and are infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. The organisation is the only care centre in the province that is accredited to provide rehabilitation and counselling to human-trafficking victims.
Upon arrival each beneficiary is given counselling and trauma
debriefing, as well as individual sessions with qualified social workers. The
care centre provides the following essentials to each victim:
- Clothing and toiletries
- Nutritious meals
- Made aware of their legal rights as victims of crime
- Given access to legal services – court preparation and related support
- Rape counselling (where applicable)
- Crisis pregnancy counselling (where applicable)
- Should the victims have children, access to schooling and the necessary support will be provided
- Transport and outings to places of interest
Each beneficiary is provided with access to
a social worker, who will work individually with them in order to assist them in
developing a care plan, that will allow them to leave the facility after 6 months
- having concluded counselling support, more knowledgeable and able to either
return home or start an independent life. The main aim of the organisation is to provide a
favourable environment in which those who are have experienced a type of abuse can, with our assistance
and support be healed – body, soul and
spirit.
The organisation's common quest is to restore human dignity to each beneficiary through hope and healing. The staff provide a quality service to each beneficiary through the vision and mission as detailed below.
VISION:
To see victims of abuse empowered and rehabilitated into society as fully functional individuals able to participate and contribute.
MISSION:
To alleviate the suffering of individual women and children who have been sexually, physically or emotionally abused, by providing direct counselling, shelter and referring women to appropriate organisations for specialised treatment where applicable.
Grace Help Centre wishes to liaise with personnel agencies, other NPOs/NGOs and corporates that share our vision to develop and empower each woman to be able to rejoin society. The life and social skills development which could assist in their reintegration are baking, home management, computer literacy and arts and crafts etc. Assisting each beneficiary does not come without its challenges, however this does not deter us from providing a quality service for each beneficiary and most importantly remaining a voice for the voiceless.