Sixteen-year-old Uzukhanye

Sixteen-year-old Uzukhanye lived in the Eastern Cape with her grandmother. During a school holiday when she visited her mother in Cape Town, she confided in her mother that she had been raped. After going to the Nyanga Police Station to report the case, Uzukhanye went for medical tests, which confirmed that she had been sexually abused and was pregnant. It was a traumatic experience for both Uzukhanye and her mom. The Thuthuzela Care Centre in Heideveld referred Uzukhanye to Etafeni Day Care Centre Trust for counselling and psychosocial support through our social work programme.

Counselling sessions were also arranged for Uzukhanye’s mother, who then attended one of our monthly Positive Parenting workshops. Uzukhanye’s school work had suffered due to the trauma she experienced, and it was recommended that she join our Afterschool Programme for assistance. In time, she was referred to our PowerGirls Programme to build her leadership and empowerment skills. She is now a role model to others! In 2024, the perpetrator was found guilty and sentenced in the Eastern Cape. The Etafeni’s Social Worker played a vital role, both in fighting Uzukhanye’s court case and especially in her healing journey, helping her rebuild her life.