Cape Town - Activists against gender-based violence and femicide are calling for all the help they can get as they embark on a gruelling 360km walk from Windhoek to Swakopmund to highlight the plight of survivors and victims.
Reverend June Dolley-Major will be accompanied by activists Celesthea Pierang and Felicity Roland for their “Try Walking in my Shoes, the Shoes of a Rape Survivor” campaign.
They are calling on the public to donate for each kilometre walked in aid of the work they do, which includes counselling, school awareness programmes, court support, criminal case support, mentorship programmes for boys and more. This walk they anticipate will take about 12 days.
Last year Dolley-Major and Pierang walked 902.8km all the way from Cape Town to Makhanda, the town where Dolley-Major says she was raped nearly 20 years ago, stopping in more than 30 towns to conduct awareness programmes.
“We did the walk last year, and it was actually a three-year vision. Next year we are going even further. During that first walk we realised when it comes to gender-based violence, it’s clear people don't talk about it, so many people keep silent. We passed 32 towns and found some people in their eighties who were raped at the age of 6. Walking allowed us to create spaces in those towns where people are now able to speak up. Many started doing programmes in their community and still continue today. Just to get people no longer covered in violence, always this shame attached. It really is not our shame, we need to bring it out so it can actually be addressed. It’s okay to talk about it, it’s part of the healing.”
On choosing Namibia they listed many reasons, highlighting the shared past between the two nations.
“Femicide is a global pandemic. Namibia and South Africa also share this very rich history of moving from pain to power. We fought against and overcame apartheid, today we have a different fight. Today we are fighting against gender-based violence and femicide. Just as in the past, we can fight this evil and overcome it, together we can do it. Every victim and survivor needs to undergo the journey from pain to power to purpose. We would like to honour both country’s journeys from a very painful past and celebrate our victory.”
So far they have confirmed their accommodation in Namibia. They still need a car and a driver to drive behind them and funds to assist with petrol and food, etc.
Donations can be made via: account name: Walk in the Shoes of Survivors NPC, Mercantile Bank, account number 1051104815, branch Cape Town, swift code CABLZAJJ.
For more information, Dolley-Major can also be contacted at 061 495 3267.
Cape Times