Former CNBC Africa Journalist Lubabalo Mashiqana recently launched the Lubabalo Mashiqana Foundation, a foundation aimed at addressing social justice issues including GBV and LGBTIQ rights in rural and township communities across the country.
The foundation is inspired by Mashiqana’s own rape experience at the age of 14. Through this, his primary focus is on assisting rural and township communities from different parts of South Africa in addressing these important issues through educational programmes that will be rolled out to volunteers in communities.
The foundation will target schools, churches, traditional leaders and community members.
“We have partnered with key stakeholders including the Commission For Gender Equality whom we believe are professionally equipped to provide the public with professional help, training programmes and awareness on these issues,” said Mashiqana.
The Commission For Gender Equality has started rolling out training programmes with close to 30 volunteers around the country.
The foundation has also identified needy primary school learners from different rural areas and townships to provide bursaries for the next academic year with the help of chicken brand, Champs Chicken, Dynamic NDT & Inspection Services (Pty) Ltd and Toyota.
“This is the beginning of a new chapter that is meant to play a huge role in trying to solve the current social challenges our communities find themselves in and it comes at a very significant time when the country is observing 16 days of activism,” said Mashiqana.