As a Scout Region, the Mpumalanga Scouts are driving awareness through training and behavioral change dialogue within schools, Scout Groups, and high profile community members. One such person is Mr Bongani Maseko, an actor known for his roles in the popular South African TV soapies ‘Generations’, ‘Zone 14′, and currently .House of Zwide’. We had a chat with him to find out how these initiatives can change communities.
“My name is Bongani Maseko resident in Johannesburg. I am an actor who portrait different characters in different soapier such as Generation, Zone 14 and many others. The capacity building of the Gender-Based Violence Vikela Bulili campaign has had a big impact on my thoughts and that of the others present”, he explains.
” The project has given me the platform to raise awareness by identifying the different types of GBV via the media platform. I was able to share with the participants that they must be aware of what they say to the media as it can be contracted at some time”, he says sternly. ” As a GBV survivor it is better for us to hold one another and help fight this pandemic”, he continues.” Being surrounded by other participants and sharing your story is a form of healing. Some who are scared to say something, might also find courage to their what they went through. It creates a network, a team force that can be able to fight, reduce and end the GBV.
Opportunities such as this capacity building workshop allowed brainstorming on how to do activities that can attract the community to listen to the awareness of GBV. They created an opportunity for the people to share their opinion about the Gender Based Violence. They were able to learn about the effect of media. The example of social media abuses sends you negative, insulting or even threatening emails, Facebook messages, tweets, DMs or other message online. Victims of cyberbullying may experience low self-esteem, increased suicidal ideation and various negative emotional responses. Thank you to the World Scout Organisation and SCOUTS South Africa. We are looking forward to more partnering on community initiatives”, concludes Bongani.