Written by: Melissa Nell
Gender based violence is a topic that has received quite a bit of attention in the media the last couple of months. However, it is still ignored by a big part of our society, and therefore there is an immense need to educate and raise awareness at an early stage.
African Group Lubricants (AGL) has stepped up to this challenge with their Gender Based Violence campaign, during Mental Health Awareness month.
Fortunate Zungu-Ludaka, a Creditors clerk at African Group Lubricants, is extremely passionate about Mental Health and Gender Based Violence. She has been instrumental in driving this educational campaign. Fortunate hosted an Awareness drive at Dinoto Technical Secondary School in Daveyton on 29 October 2021. The aim of this Awareness drive was to lay a good foundation for the boys at a young age so that they can effectively deal with such issues and know how to correctly respond emotionally towards it. “I want them to realise that gender-based violence is a reality and that they should speak up and ask for help” says Zungu-Ludaka.
Marketing manager, Nicole Jooste, “AGL used this opportunity to launch a Gender Based Violence awareness campaign to raise funds for Fortunate’s Awareness drive. “A lot of our colleagues, friends and family experience this type of violence”, says Jooste. “There is a real need for education at a young age and we have to do everything we can to assist those that are affected. AGL has an Employee Assistance Program called AskNelson that is available to all our staff to assist them with issues such as these, but what assistance is offered to our youth?”
Because of the high statistics of GBV, and the obvious need for education, African Group Lubricants and its staff, Xtransport, On Track Magazine and the Mobil 1 V8 Supercars team joined forces in support of this initiative.
The AGL Golf Day which took place on 15 October 2021 was a great opportunity to raise awareness of GBV. On this day a golf bag was raffled out and proceeds were used to fund the awareness drive at Dinoto. AGL’s staff donated items such as soap, body wash and body spray. These donations, as well as On Track Magazines and Mobil 1 V8 Supercars caps were included in the ‘Dignity bags’ (sponsored by Xtransport) and was handed out to the 200-odd young men at Dinoto Technical Secondary School.
It was a packed program at Dinoto Technical Secondary School which included a talk by Fortunate Zungu-Ludaka, a word of encouragement by Andrew Nhlapo from AGL, Mr Phelo Ncube spoke to the learners about “Transitioning from boy to man”. The Clinical Psychologist, Mr Happy Pule addressed mental health and GBV with the learners. However, it wasn’t all “work and no play” – the learners were spoiled with the display of a real V8 Supercar, which provided great “selfie” opportunities for the enthusiastic learners. Phakamani Zikala, Bongi Gumede and Buntu Tembani made their appearance and performed a very entertaining GBV play for the learners.
Fortunate. “I hope this initiative starts a conversation in our society and encourage character development and hopefully one day GBV will be in the distant past”.