Holistic help for women
Mitchell’s Plain women were encouraged to seek help, care for themselves and each other at Town Centre Library on Thursday August 15.
They were hosted by Mitchell’s Plain Community Health Centre (CHC) and partners Community Police Forum (CPF), Neighbourhood Watch, Tafelsig Matrix and Correctional Services to detail the link between substance abuse and women’s health.
They would like women to be treated holistically without the stigma of substance abuse, they said.
Rene Daniels, a social worker at the centre, said they wanted to break the stigma addicts had about themselves and that the community had of them.
“We want them to know that they are also people and that there is help when they want to change,” she said.
Ms Daniels encouraged women to come to the clinic and to see what services are available to them, so that they may be referred to the Tafelsig Matrix Site or even go there without an appointment to seek help.
She listed all of the services available at the clinic, including dental, regular blood sugar and pressure tests and monitoring; dentists, social workers, family planning and
Lewies Davids, manager of spiritual care at Pollsmoor prison, spoke to the women about building strong families by sharing a meal together.
“We eat from the same pot but we’re not sharing a meal together,” he said.
“You dish the food and all of a sudden you allow the children to each go to their own corner. You sit in the lounge, you sit in your room and you sit in front of the television. We must take back sharing a meal,” he said.
Mr Davids said parents should listen to their children and share in their lives.
“Find out how was their day and what did they get up to,” he said.
“We must listen to each other as we share that meal. Lets come back to the table and sit around,” he said.
“If we want strong South African and strong families then we must sit around the table, that is where discussions happen,” he said.
Participant Tafelsig grandmother Agness Schippers, 60, wiped away tears as Shabaana Osman, a psychologist at Mitchell's Plain Community Health Centre (CHC), massaged her hands.
Participants and guests were given some lotion to massage each others’ hand as a symbol that they could share their worries.
Ms Schippers said the exercise and the programme was “very emotional”.
“It opened some wounds for me. I had a domestic violence situation and a got help but it seems I still need some healing,” she said.
She realised that everyone needs forgiveness and that she needed to herself and let go of the hurt and the pain.
“Everyone is human and we get angry and we say and do things that we regret but we need to start having conversations and talk about our problems. I want to share with my children,” she said.
Another participant, grandmother Mymoena Abrahams, from Lost City, said watching the video of a woman who could break away from her violent past and had been imprisoned at Pollsmoor was heart breaking.
“I am a mother and it is sad to hear her story. You could not sit with a dry eye. I want to help children make the right decisions,” she said.
