George NGO releases a mobile App for GBV victims

A new App has been established by an NGO in George, Western Cape, to assist victims of gender-based abuse.

The App enlists the assistance of a large network of field workers, volunteers, and SAPS, all of whom will be accessible to provide instant assistance to victims and their families.

Gender-based violence is often considered as a secondary epidemic in South Africa. God Cares International has been offering much-needed assistance to victims for many years. They’ve taken it to a new level with the use of technology, and they’re enlisting the cooperation of a network of communities to serve as a support network for victims.

Debbie Pijoos, the founder of the NGOs, claims that their volunteers will be available around the country.

“We’ll see what the need is from now until volunteers can start booking on.” Volunteers in a specific region in towns, on the other hand, must register as volunteers before we can support them in putting up the platforms and intervention techniques that we have in place and that will be implemented in George.”

Mathew Bellas, an app developer, and Pijoos collaborated on the platform for six months. According to Bellas, it is now in the testing phase in George before going live nationwide.

“As a result, the App will be available on Google Play.” It is currently unavailable. It’s available on Google Play, but only for closed beta testing. Within the next three weeks, we will make it available to the general public as a tool anyone may utilize.

“Look at the source, not just the fruit,” says God Cares International. It motivates GBV abusers to seek help by providing them with access to mentors and counsellors through the App.

Ethel Potgieter is a GBV survivor who was abused in her marriage for years. She is now an anti-gender-based violence activist.

“Looking back, if I’d had the resources I have today, my husband would have been able to obtain therapy as well, and who knows how that might have altered his life.” He is no longer among us. He died in the year 2020. Even if the App was available to him, I’m sure he’d say things like, “I don’t know why I’m doing this, and I don’t know how to get out of this.”

Another novel initiative for the NGO is workplace training for GBV information officers. These officers are already in place at a few companies in the region to provide the required support to employees.