By Shamika Dwarika
3 August 2018 was a culmination of months of hard work and planning for the Durban office as we held our Fundraising Brunch at the DLI Hall in Greyville. The event served a dual purpose in that we sought to raise awareness about violence and abuse against women and children, while at the same time raising funds for our office. To our delight the day dawned clear, unlike last year’s torrential downpour, and attendees were able to show up in their finery.
As there was a chill in the air however, BarMotion were on the scene to provide free hot beverages to warm the soul. 1608 Beauty on Demand were also on hand to provide free massages to get attendees in the mood for the event. We were very thankful that sponsors saw the value in what we were trying to do and came on board to support us in various ways. Our financial sponsors were Sanlam, PSI and Lexis Nexis SA (being our key sponsor). We also received goodie bag items from TAFTA, Vovo Telo Umhlanga, Varsity College and others. And with so many raffle items up for grabs, everyone had an opportunity to win! In total, we had 49 sponsorships, every one of which was instrumental in making the event a success.
In addition, we had exciting entertainment by Bluff Dance, Sizamawala Dance Group and Iris Samianathan whose performances took us through the various stages of a woman’s life. Our keynote speaker told her tale of emotional and verbal abuse. While many tend to focus on physical or sexual abuse, other types of abuse can be just as damaging and poisonous. Attendees had an enjoyable outing but were also provided with food for thought. In summary, it was a day well spent for all.
