The Elim/Waterval Victim Empowerment centre, which has been offering social assistance to victims of rape, victims of domestic violence, substance and drug abuse and other heinous crimes within the Waterval region, received a R20 000 financial injection from the Makhado Old Mutual Group Scheme branch last Friday.

After visiting the office buildings of the trauma centres at Elim hospital and the Waterval police station to see the resources purchased by his company's funds, the provincial manager of Old Mutual’s group scheme in Limpopo, Mr MR Chauke, officially handed over a cheque to the board chairperson of the Victim Empowerement Centre, Mr Mkhachani Richard Mtileni. The dummy cheque was handed over during a special event held at the Elim/Hlanganani Care of the Aged.

The Victim Empowerment Centre was established in 2000, but was officially registered on November 6, 2003. During that period, the victim room had only three wooden chairs and an old table, donated by the local SAPS.

According to the deputy chairperson of the Victim Empowerment board, Ms Tsakani Chabane, the idea of initiating the trauma centres, was basically to assist the victims in overcoming their initial shock. “During that time, we had a lot of financial constraints and we were relying on hand-outs from the local business fraternity, but we kept marching on, in ensuring that a friendly and healthy environment for victims exists in our society” she said.

Tsakani added that they specialised in offering counselling to victims with the view of minimising psychological problems. She said that in an effort to re-establish confidence amongst the victims, volunteers provide continuous counseling to victims. “These victim support programmes are meant for people, so we expect them to make use of them by visiting the offices at Elim hospital or Waterval SAPS anytime they so wish. We are thankful for the donation we received from Old Mutual; they must keep doing the good work,” she said.

A local social worker, Ms Flora Randela, said that the donation will benefit the victims, while it will strengthen the volunteers’ administration, as well as provide more privacy to the information obtained from the victims. “A cabinet and the computer systems they have purchased with these funds will take the volunteers assistance to another level,” she said.

The provincial manager of Old Mutual, Mr Chauke, said that as part of nation building and community development, his company identifies needy projects that are playing vital roles in communities and provide funding as another way of encouraging them to continue making a difference in their respective communities. The chairperson of the board, Mr Richard Mkhachani Mtileni, said that the donation came in handy when the victim empowerement system was busy establishing itself to run a fully fledged office. “As of now, victims of rape and other violence will be treated in a comfortable and humane environment; their dignity and respect will be restored. The environment will be conducive to psychological recovery and healing,” he said.