Collaboration with HISA
Combating gender-based violence (GBV) through health education and advocacy remains central to Tonata’s mission. Our collaboration with the Hope Initiatives Southern African (HISA) has strengthened this mission. An engagement with HISA was held in Omusati and attended by 38 stakeholders to raise awareness about GBV and promote dialogue. This engagement served to create a safe space for women and girls to speak out, learn their rights, and access support services. Following the meeting, community champions—including men’s groups and youth leaders—made the commitment to address GBV and share information in their villages. The success of this engagement reinforces the idea that shared responsibility is necessary to address complex community challenges.
CFM Spotlight
A critical role of our community field mobilizers (CFM) involves educating support groups on GBV, including its signs and impact as well as the importance of reporting. This past quarter, one of our CFM, Lempi, was alerted by a SG representative about an elderly woman in their community facing GBV. Lempi promptly guided the group on the correct course of action, including reporting the case to the police. As a result of the group’s timely action, the woman received the necessary assistance and protection, demonstrating how information, awareness, and community support can save lives. Lempi’s dedication, alongside Tonata’s community network, continues to empower individuals to speak out, seek help, and protect one another.
Tonata's Own: Free from GBV and Building Resilience
One of our Regional Liaison Officer is a mother of two and caregiver to eight orphaned and vulnerable children. After experiencing GBV for years without access to support, she joined Tonata PLHIV Network in 2021 as a volunteer health educator. Through her engagement with Tonata, she began accessing psychosocial support and peer mentorship that helped her rebuild confidence and resilience. In 2024, she was formally employed under the current project as a Regional Liaison Officer. In this role, she received training on stigma and discrimination reduction, GBV prevention, mental health support, and community advocacy. Reflecting on her journey she shared:
I learned a lot from Tonata. These sessions changed my life for the better. I am now able to cope with my situation and support others who are facing similar challenges. I put what I have learned into practice, and this helped me heal and gain courage.
Our RLO now uses her lived experience and training to counsel and support other community members, particularly women facing GBV and stigma. Her transformation from survivor to community leader demonstrates the project’s impact on individual empowerment and community change. Through Tonata’s VSL program, she also improved her family’s economic stability. She successfully built a brick house, enabling her family to move from a zinc structure into safer and more dignified housing. As a result of her experiences, she strongly advocates for the expansion of Tonata’s services, particularly the establishment of additional support groups in remote areas to prevent GBV and reduce stigma and discrimination.