The government of South Africa (SA) has donated ICT equipment to safe homes providing refuge to women and children running away from abuse. The SA National Assembly House Chairperson for Committees, Cedrick Frolic, personally did the handing over of the computers and other ICT accessories to three centers housing abused women and children in parliament.
The three safe homes that benefited from the equipment are:
Saartjie Baartman – It cares for women and children survivors of abuse.
St. Anne’s Home – Caring for and empowering destitute and abused mothers alongside children.
Ons Plek – It gives specialized development and therapeutic services to young women who live, work, and beg around the streets of Cape Town.
The representative of the above three mentioned safe homes were present in parliament to receive the ICT equipment. During the handover, Mr. Frolick said the event reiterated SA’s parliament’s resolve to continue the legacy of Nelson Mandela, whose centenary is being celebrated this year in SA, the continent of Africa, and the world as a whole.
Frolick said the handing over of the ICT tools was in-keeping with the spirit of humanity and values shared by Madiba and Mrs. Albertina Sisulu.
The SA parliament could have decided to dispose of the (now aging) ICT equipment to its staff or even sell it off as second-hand goods and make some gain. However, they chose to donate it to centers taking care to some of the most vulnerable members of the society. Centers that are striving to relieve the pain of the abused, and give them a safe place to live.
The aforementioned centers received a lot of praise from the SA parliament for their efforts over the years for giving refuge to abuse women and children. The representatives from the respective centers expressed their gratitude to the kind gestures shown by the SA parliament. Saying the donated ICT equipment will go a long way toward improving computer and digital literacy of the women and children they are housing.