South Africa: From shelter to self-reliance, GBV survivors are building new futures
In many communities across South Africa, survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) face a difficult reality after leaving shelters. While they may have escaped violence, many continue to face economic hardship, unemployment, and financial dependence factors that often increase the risk of returning to abusive relationships.
In Bethlehem, Free State, however, a small but powerful initiative is demonstrating how strategic investments in women's economic empowerment can create lasting change.
Through funding from the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership South Africa (RWVL-SA) programme, implemented by Gender Links with support from Global Affairs Canada, Bethlehem Child and Family Welfare identified an opportunity to strengthen the long-term outcomes of its GBV support programme. Rather than viewing survivors simply as beneficiaries of shelter services, the organisation envisioned a future where women could leave the shelter equipped with practical skills, confidence, and income-generating opportunities.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
In May 2026, Khumbudzo Simethi, Programme Manager at Bethlehem Child and Family Welfare, submitted a request to redirect funds from existing programme budget lines towards a skills development initiative for GBV survivors. The organisation had partnered with a local entrepreneur and beauty salon owner who agreed to train women in practical beauty skills, including nail technology, eyelash installation, and make-up application. The trainer also committed to providing ongoing mentorship to participants after the completion of their training.
The rationale was straightforward but profound: economic independence is a critical component of recovery and empowerment. By equipping women with marketable skills, survivors would be better positioned to generate income, support themselves and their families, and make independent decisions about their futures.
RWVL-SA recognised the value of this innovative approach and approved the budget deviation, acknowledging that the initiative aligned strongly with the programme's broader objectives of advancing women's empowerment and leadership through practical, sustainable interventions.
Five Women, Five New Beginnings
With the approved funding, five women residing in the shelter were enrolled in the beauty training programme. The training provided more than technical skills, it offered a pathway towards dignity, independence, and hope.
Upon completing the programme, all five women graduated and received starter packs containing the essential tools and materials needed to begin offering beauty services and establishing their own small businesses. The starter packs ensured that participants could immediately put their newly acquired skills into practice and begin generating an income.
For women whose lives had previously been shaped by violence and dependency, this represented a significant shift — from surviving abuse to investing in their own futures.
The experience of Bethlehem Child and Family Welfare highlights an important lesson in the fight against GBV: addressing violence requires more than crisis intervention. Sustainable recovery often depends on whether survivors can access opportunities that enable them to support themselves financially.
Economic empowerment can reduce vulnerability, strengthen self-confidence, and increase women's ability to make choices free from coercion or dependence. When survivors have the means to earn an income, they are better positioned to secure safe housing, provide for their children, and pursue lives free from violence.
The beauty training initiative demonstrates how targeted and flexible funding can respond to community realities. By allowing organisations to adapt programme resources to meet emerging needs, RWVL-SA enabled a local solution with tangible and lasting impact. The project transformed available resources into an opportunity that will continue benefiting women long after their time in the shelter has ended.
Investing in Women's Futures: Across South Africa, RWVL-SA supports organisations that amplify women's voices, strengthen women's rights, and advance gender equality. The initiative in Bethlehem demonstrates how even modest investments can create meaningful change when they are grounded in the lived experiences of women and designed with sustainability in mind.
For the five women who completed the beauty training programme, the funding represented more than a course, it represented a chance to rebuild their lives, restore their confidence, and pursue economic independence. Their journey is a powerful reminder that when women are given the tools and opportunities to succeed, they do more than survive, they thrive.
As RWVL-SA continues to support grassroots organisations across South Africa, stories like this illustrate the transformative power of investing in women, their leadership, and their economic futures.
(Written by: Thenjiwe Ngcobo, RWVL Grants and Networking Coordinator)
