Edwards Cookie
- Cookie Edwards
Nizaam "Cookie" Edwards is a Provincial Director of the KwaZulu-Natal Network of Violence against Women. She is also the survivor of an abusive relationship.
The Network played a major role in the New Domestic Violence Act of 1999, the setting up of the Durban Family Court and numerous public safety outreach programmes aimed at improving the condition of abused women in South Africa. Nizaam began working to prevent violence against women 20 years ago. She started this kind of work because she could identify with what women went through and how hopeless and helpless they felt in abusive relationships. She has used her personal history to inspire and support survivors of violence. She started her work in her own two-roomed flat. As a mother to three children of her own and three other daughters (two foster, one adopted), Nizaam turned her home into a shelter and counselling centre for women who were victims of violence. Her family had to leave the living room and wait in one of the bedrooms when women came in for counselling.
As more and more women came to her for counselling, she had to turn her own bedroom into a counselling room. She worked in her house for five years as she couldn't afford to rent or buy a bigger place. She eventually found rent-free rooms at an old municipal clinic and started a support group for abused women. She was supported by legal and other professionals. Together they trained a number of volunteers to assist in the running of the support group.
She became the KZN Intersect Coalition Coordinator. She brought together the two sectors of Women and HIV/AIDS. Cookie's aim was to establish and strengthen regional networks with the aim of preventing and eventually eradicating violence against women. Cookie was nominated by VSO (an international development charity) for the 2006 Defence of the Human Rights of Women Award because of the work she does.
She has established projects and public awareness campaigns to prevent violence against women. She continues to work to defend women's rights in South Africa and improve their lives.
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Buckland Janet
- Janet Buckland
Janet Buckland is a director, choreographer, community builder and drama teacher. She was born in East London in'56. She is married to Andrew Buckland. They have three successful sons and one granddaughter. Janet is also known as "Mama J" by the communities of the Eastern Cape. She established the Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company five years ago. Ubom was the first full-time professional drama company in the province. The aim was to get people to invest in theatre for the province. "Ubom focuses on applied theatre, participative and interactive theatre which deals with behaviour change". Buckland raises the funds to sustain it by herself.
Janet is responsible for the introduction and establishment of a significant number of successful arts and culture projects in the province. She has reached more than 178 000 people, and provided full-time work for many artists and administrators. She has changed the lives of many South Africans with her expertise as an artist, director, fundraiser and administrator over a number of years.
Buckland organised the Grahamstown Township Dance Project in'93. Young girls and boys from disadvantaged backgrounds participate in the programme. This programme is free, and is available to girls and boys from ages 7 to'. Buckland has also introduced the Eluxolweni Street Shelter programme. This programme was designed specifically to allow artists from disadvantaged backgrounds to take part in the arts.
Janet is also the facilitator of the Studio Project, introducing Eastern Cape artists to the National Arts Festival with a dance and drama evening with a local flavour. Last year in mid-July, Janet sent nine street children to Manchester to participate in an international theatre project. She did not accompany the children. She said it was more about them and their performances. Buckland says her job was more about making things happen. Recently, on the 31st of July 2008, Janet won the Shoprite/ Checkers Woman of the Year Award. She said "Getting the award was a huge shock. Arts have never been recognised before and it will be a boost for the status of the arts".
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Dlamini Priscilla
- Sr Priscilla with patient
Sister Priscilla Dlamini is a Roman Catholic nun known as Benedictine Sisters of Twasana). She is a qualified nurse who has diplomas in General Nursing, Midwifery, Clinical Care and Administration, Advanced Psychiatry. She has also attended many courses on AIDS and Family Planning related subjects in South Africa, West Africa, Germany, Italy, Austria and the UK.
Priscilla runs a community-based Holly Cross AIDS Hospice situated at Emoyeni in Kwa-Zulu Natal. She was appointed to the post in 2002 to help this impoverished and AIDS ravaged community. From the funds that she raised, Priscilla converted stables on the premises into 40 bed hospice for the ill men, women and children in the surrounding the KwaZulu Natal. When Sister Priscilla arrived at the Holy Cross Hospice the only operative facility was the clinic.
Priscilla noticed that many people who were dying of AIDS left children on their own. It was difficulty for Priscilla to look over the situation. She created a preschool after noticing that many children were dropping out of school to take care of their younger siblings. At first, the preschool was housed in a garage. Luckily the Hospice managed to raise funds and build up a house that caters for 200 children. Priscilla also arranged for these children to receive second-hand clothing, get education and also receive counselling and two nutritious meals a day.
She did not have any means for modern medicines for her patients. Therefore, she combined traditional healer's home remedies to treat opportunistic infections among her Aids patients. She even started her own herbal garden and dispensary to make things easy for her. Eastern Cape and Swaziland healers buy Priscilla's remedies to heal their patients as well.
Today Priscilla and her volunteer caregivers receive funding from the Holy Cross Children's Trust in London. She takes care of more than 453 children and 1 121 orphans she also provides home based care for 2 011 people. There are 21 caregivers in the orphanage home which were trained by Sister Priscilla. Her hospice has become Spoornet's corporate social investment flagship in the region.
The Trust, the children and the whole community are very fortunate to have Sister Priscilla running the Holy Cross Hospice. She received international recognition for her Holy Cross Aids Hospice since the age of 15. Sister has received awards for her work from the Department of Welfare as a 'Community Builder of the Year'. She received Edith Venter Award as a "The Woman who made it against all odds". She was also nominated as 'The Soul City Health and Development Worker of the Year' (National Finalist) and the Pat McGregor Natural Family Planning Award as the 'Highest Achieving Teacher and Supervisor in South Africa'.
She had the dream and the drive to help this impoverished community. She is a remarkable person who has achieved so much against all odds.
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