9 May 2023
Westville Boys’ High is supporting the Jes Foord Foundation’s Handbag Project to help provide resources for the non-profit, public benefit organisation, which deals with the prevalence of rape in South African society.
The Foundation offers trauma counselling, awareness talks, a young men’s mentorship program, and a learner awareness impact program. These programs encompass the organisation’s three key areas of education, awareness and support.
Since it was introduced, the Handbag Project has collected well north of 50 000 handbags, which contain toiletries and care items to assist victims of rape. Kiddi packs, aimed at children under the age of 12, make up 60 percent of the monthly quota.
Goods being collected
Donations of new or used handbags in good conditions are sought. Suggested items for care packs include sanitary pads, tissues, soap, facecloths, body lotion, underwear, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant or roll on, toothbrush and toothpaste, and a note of encouragement and care.
The Kiddi packs could include a small backpack or drawstring bag, with a minimum size of 33cm x 43cm, sanitary pads, tissues, children’s underwear, an A5 notebook, which will be used for art therapy in forensic evidence gathering, crayons or colouring pencils, a 24-page colouring book, soap, a facecloth, and a soft toy or teddy to provide comfort.
Every month, the Foundation delivers 400 rape comfort bags to survivors. Sadly, this is not enough to meet the demand. It costs the organisation R215 to pack each bag, and an additional expense for transportation is then incurred.
Westville Boys’ High has been joined by its sister school, Westville Girls’ High, in support of the Handbag Project. At WBHS, handbags can be dropped off at the reception.
The Jes Foord Foundation
Home – The Jes Foord Foundation (jff.org.za) was founded after the gang rape of Jes Foord by four men in March 2008. In the aftermath, she recognised that two paths presented themselves: she could let the experience destroy her, or she could become a rape survivor.
Instead of hiding from the experience, she spoke out to raise awareness on a crime that reportedly happens every 17 seconds in South Africa.
“I formed the Foundation to help restore lives after rape by way of a number of initiatives and activities designed to change rape victims into rape survivors. I want to educate people and help them realise that there is life after rape,” Jes said.
She works full-time for the Jes Foord Foundation and is supported by Project Manager Trish Gillespie and Board Members Jessica Schwenn, Elka Aulsebrook, Debbi van Heerden, Priakumari Hassan, Rohan Osborn, Ross Thomson, and her father, Tim Foord.
To keep up to date with the work of the Jes Foord Foundation, please visit them at Jes Foord – Home | Facebook
Leave a Reply