khulumani: a support group. a social movement. a strong voice.

The majority of our members are unemployed women who live in rural areas. As victims of gross violations, they have not yet fully integrated into mainstream society. Community reparations programmes need to be ongoing, sustainable and adequate to restore the competence of those individuals who were deliberately disempowered through their experiences.

The majority of our members are unemployed women who live in rural areas. As victims of gross violations, they have not yet fully integrated into mainstream society. Community reparations programmes need to be ongoing, sustainable and adequate to restore the competence of those individuals who were deliberately disempowered through their experiences.

Khulumani has been expanding knowledge in the arena of what is involved in healing from gross human rights violations and is increasingly sharing this information with partners and with organisations from across the world, but in particular with organisations from within Africa.

The 90% of Khulumani's membership who are all survivors of gross human rights abuses but were not reached by the TRC with its own particular limitations, live mainly in more remote rural areas and as they were not heard by the TRC, they have not been identified to receive reparations.

Capacity-building based on business-skills training is especially vital for them so that they can work together with others in their impoverished areas, to uplift the economic status of themselves and their families by utilising their skills.

The National Contact Centre has received 81 business plans from its members and these provide an excellent basis from which to start.

In Cape Town, the members of the Western Cape branch of Khulumani Support Group commemorated National Day of Reconciliation on December 16, 2004 by coming together to display their income-generating activities and to sell the products they are already making.

The National Office has created a brand label for the products of Khulumani members - which carries the message, Finding Our Voices, Rebuilding Our Lives. Provincial visits to view businesses will be done by the programme manager once grants have been received.