South Africa: From Dust to Something: Rising Above Pain to Build a Future

Story

“The rape became an everyday routine.”

These haunting words from Mavis Mbengen, now 43, reveal the unimaginable pain she endured as a young girl. Her story is one of resilience, courage, and transformation a journey from trauma to triumph, from despair to hope.

Mavis was born into a large family in Mulodi Village, Limpopo. Her father had three wives, and her mother was the second. Each wife had her own small home, and Mavis grew up close to her siblings. Life changed drastically when her mother passed away when Mavis was just 13. Her father remarried, and Mavis and her siblings were sent to live with their grandmother and two uncles.

At 15, her nightmare began. Her elder uncle started raping her and threatened to kill her and her siblings if she told anyone. When she confided in her grandmother, she was told to keep quiet. The abuse continued daily. At 17, Mavis became pregnant by her uncle. Instead of receiving support, she was humiliated and laughed at. She was warned that if she reported the abuse, she would be thrown out of the house. With nowhere to go, she stayed and bore the pain in silence.

Forced to leave school to care for her child, Mavis’s dreams seemed shattered. But life had other plans. At 25, people in her community began leaving their children with her because she was always at home. They paid her for childcare, and soon her home was full of children. That’s when Mavis had an idea: to start her own crèche.

What began in her yard grew into something remarkable. She registered the crèche and operated from home for three years before securing land to build a proper facility. Today, Mulodi Community Crèche is a well-known institution in the village and surrounding areas. Mavis employs six staff members and receives funding from the Department of Social Development.

Her personal growth has been just as inspiring. Through adult literacy classes, Mavis earned her matric and is now in her third year of a teaching degree at UNISA. She owns her own home and lives with her son the child she once feared would define her shame but now stands as a symbol of her strength.

Reflecting on her journey, Mavis says:
“I want to give other children what I did not have love, care, and support. My dream is to find a bigger place where these kids can call home.”

Mavis’s story is a testament to resilience and the power of community-driven initiatives. Supported by programs like Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL), women like Mavis are rewriting their narratives, breaking cycles of abuse, and creating opportunities for others.

Her transformation from a victim of gender-based violence to a leader in early childhood education shows what happens when women are empowered. Mavis is not just building a crèche; she is building futures, offering children the safety and love she was denied.

By Mavis Matevhutevhu, Limpopo