The Healing Hearts Widows Association, which is made up of more than 500 widows from across Phoenix and surrounding areas, has reached their first milestone.
The organisation, which opened its doors to widows during national Women’s Month in 2022, celebrated their one year anniversary at the Shastripark Community Hall in Phoenix, last week. The president of the Healing Hearts Widows Association, Khatija Nabi said the momentous occasion acknowledged the dedication and hard work of all the members who have contributed to the growth and success of the Association over the past year.
“The Association is committed to honouring the potential and contributions of widows. We recognise the importance of creating a society that values and supports widows in their journey of healing and empowerment. By providing a supportive community, advocating for policy changes and offering educational and skill-building opportunities, the support groups which have been established in various areas of Phoenix, strive to empower the ladies to reclaim their lives, regain their independence and make meaningful contributions to their families, communities and the country,” said Nabi.
She said the loss of a spouse can be a devastating experience, resulting in widows facing endless challenges, financial hardship, and responsibilities. Nabi said for many widows, losing a spouse also means losing your rights, voice and income.
“We all know that grief does not go away and no one can take away the pain of a widow’s loss. However, living with this emotional pain of unresolved loss can be devastating and can lead to long-term depression for some. The purpose of the Healing Hearts Widows Association is to encourage widows from all walks of life to learn from one another by sharing their stories in a non-judgmental way, to help them process their loss,” said the president of the Healing Hearts Widows Association.
She said the celebration was testament to the spirit of unity and solidarity that defines the organisation. Through collaborative efforts, the organisation successfully organised various events and initiatives that have empowered individuals and promoted a culture of inclusivity.
“We have seen how, through mutual support and understanding, our Association has become a sanctuary of hope for widows. It is truly heartwarming to witness the bonds that have formed amongst members and the positive impact the support group has on their lives. With the numerous challenges that we women face daily, it is only natural to wonder what makes Women’s Month so special and how it can benefit you personally. As we mark our milestone anniversary this Women’s Month, my message is very simple: Be the woman who fixes another woman’s crown without telling the world it was crooked. As women, we need to empower and inspire each other, even in the most difficult of times,” said Nabi.
The keynote speaker at the event was the Director of the Department of Community Safety and Liaison for the eThekwini region, Khaladi Mbongwe, who applauded the association for their efforts in empowering widows.
“The Healing Hearts Widows Association is one of the programmes that caters for vulnerable groups and as a department we have programmes that look at crime prevention within various communities. Over and above, we have a mandate to oversee the police service delivery especially compliance with the domestic violence act. We know that many widows are affected by gender based violence, and more specifically here in Phoenix, we’ve got a number of youngsters that are involved in drugs, thus are harassing and abusing their mothers and grandmothers. It is therefore important for us to join hands with women who are widows in this community to give them skills as well as information as to how they can protect themselves,” said Mbongwe.
She said that the department is working with the SAPS to ensure that they comply with the prescripts of the act of domestic violence. Mbongwe called on the police to ensure that whenever a victim comes to the police station, they are able to give them their rights, explain their rights and also assist the victims with whatever help that they may need.
“If the victim wants to open a case, the police should be able to give the victim information and other remedial steps to take when they are abused. In most cases, we do get complaints from the victims that when they go to the police station to report abuse, they are told that they must go and negotiate at home, which is unacceptable. We are here to say to the most vulnerable groups in the community of Phoenix that it is within your right to be assisted by the police. You have a right to lodge a complaint, you have a right to open up a case and you have a right to be told that you can apply for a protection order and the police should be able to assist you in acquiring a protection order without referring you to the Magistrate’s court for the protection order. It is within the police to do that and if they fail to that, we are here receive those complaints,” added Mbongwe.
The Department of Community Safety and Liaison can be contacted via WhatsApp on 082 554 2469.
