Community Cohesion

09/08/2026

70 YEARS.
The pursuit of dignity, safety and justice continues.
The March ended but the fight continues.
HAPPY WOMENS DAY.

05/08/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1SrUYKsGYZ/

Ilitha Labantu and Community Cohesion, together with the 40+ member organisations of the W17 Network, will host the upcoming W17 Network Meeting on Friday, 14 August 2026, bringing together organisations from across the Western Cape working to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

The W17 Network is a collaborative platform comprising 40+ organisations committed to strengthening partnerships, enhancing referral pathways, and advancing a coordinated, survivor-centred response to gender-based violence across the province. Through regular engagements, members work together to improve service delivery, share knowledge and best practices, identify emerging challenges, and strengthen collective advocacy and action.

The upcoming meeting will provide members with an opportunity to share organisational updates, strengthen collaboration and coordinated service delivery, review referral pathways, and identify opportunities to improve access to comprehensive, survivor-centred support. Members will also discuss key challenges, emerging trends, and opportunities for collective advocacy while sharing upcoming initiatives and partnership opportunities across the network.

Representatives from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) and the NPO Directorate Help Desk will also participate in the programme, providing network members with an opportunity to engage on funding opportunities, grant administration, governance, regulatory compliance, and organisational support available to non-profit organisations. An interactive question-and-answer session will enable members to engage directly with both institutions, seek clarification, and gain practical guidance on matters affecting their organisations.

By bringing together the expertise and experience of its 40+ member organisations, the W17 Network continues to strengthen coordinated, survivor-centred support for those affected by gender-based violence while contributing to a more effective, collaborative, and integrated response across the Western Cape.

13/07/2026

If you can, please do.

08/07/2026

Today we were part of a collaboration between the National department of Public Works and Infrastructure and the Western Cape Provincial DSD as they renewed their agreement around the utilisation of public works houses for places of Safety.

Our Aalwyn Place of Safety is one such repurposed house.

Ongoing partnerships like these will enable all stakeholders to deliver professional services to our most vulnerable victims of Domestic Violence.

Public Property for public good.

18/05/2026

A huge thank you to Bless my Bag for their very, very generous donation of over 200 beautifully sewn bags, with thoughtful, much needed items inside.

It is through partnerships like these that we will shift gender based violence from a ' #' to a space where we acknowledge the human beings who experience violence.

Your thoughtful act of conscious generosity will make a difference in the lives of women you will never meet.

19/02/2026

With the ever increasing normalisation of violence, we need to acknowledge the full cost of trauma.

Healing is possible. Help is available.

11/12/2025

When a Conference is not a talk shop but a call to Acknowledging Realities and moving from Awareness to Action.

Powerful, engaging, deeply emotional and humanistic conversations resulted in greater awareness about the realities men are facing and how to confront these challenges without doing harm to themselves, their families, their communities and our country.

These last 2 days were an acknowledgement of the intrinsic humanity and dignity in everyone.

What an honour as Community Cohesion to create this space with our partners Ilitha Labantu ,The Character Company and the Western Cape Provincial DSD, VEP Directorate.

Thank you to everyone from civil society and a multitude of government departments who chose to make time for themselves and others.

02/12/2025

Today we hosted the last self empowerment and safety session for this year. We were joined by the new team of Metro Police posted to Hout Bay.

This ongoing partnership between Community Cohesion and the Hout Bay SAPS and CPF, saw us hosting interactive sessions on personal, digital, emotional and emergency safety.

Today we had the privilege of learning from Ralph, an international medical emergency professional who volunteers with Hout Bay Volunteer Emergency Medical Service - HBEMS - when he is here, in the bay. Such valuable, life saving knowledge was shared today and in all the other sessions.

Thank you to everyone who gave of their time to teach these much needed empowerment tools and to our community members who attend the sessions and share the knowledge.

This is real empowerment.

If you would like to join the sessions in 2026, please whatsapp our Hout Bay Office on 0616836943 with your name and 'safety sessions' in your message.

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15/11/2025

With gratitude we remember the life of Sharna Fernandez.

09/08/2025

To everyone working in our field, to our partners, clients and colleagues, to our supporters and funders, thank you. We keep working for dignity, equity and realised equality.