Women’s Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) are safe spaces which provide a platform for the provision of a holistic empowerment package to women when the monetary component is systematically fused with other sociocultural aspects of their lives.
On 21 August 2022, a team of YONECO Helpline Counsellors had a session with members of Tiyanjane Women VSLA at Njonjo Village in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Malemia, Zomba.
The session was aimed at addressing the ‘culture of silence’ on Gender Based Violence (GBV) which thrives on harmful paternalistic cultural norms. As such, many cases go unreported and the survivors are left with various issues including psychosocial and physical injuries to deal with. Thus, the session focused on the dangers of GBV and the importance of reporting such cases.
The group was further equipped with information pertaining to how GBV is manifested, how to support a survivors and where to report. YONECO Helpline Counsellors also shared the following toll-free helpline numbers which include; GBV Crisis Line – 5600; Child Helpline – 116 and the Youth Helpline – 393.
