Gaboratelwe Legae

I am a 34 year old woman and I stay in Bobonong in the Bobirwa sub district. It was in 2014 when I first knew about Gender Links. We were taught about gender based violence and later wrote our ‘I stories’. This was a turning point in my life.

I went on to attend the three training’s geared towards teaching us to be entrepreneurs. I have learnt how to do a business plan and also how to identify a market gap as this can help determine of my business will fail or succeed. During the third phase I got to learn about the services offered by the Social Welfare Department and I went to see them after to seek assistance with the starting up a business. I was assessed by the social workers to determine if I qualified for government assistance.

Through the interaction with Gender Links I have learnt new life skills that can assist in making my life better. I made it a point that I attended all the lessons offered by Gender Links and realised how important they were in helping me to fight violence and also to start up my own business. I am able to determine the type of business I want and also the size of the business, the entire training was very important. At first it was very difficult for me to do the cash flow but through the assistance of the GL officers I was able to do it.

I did not have any knowledge on starting businesses and I never thought that I could be at a point where I am so knowledgeable about businesses. Though I have not started my business I have managed to seek assistance from the relevant offices. The lessons built my self-confidence and I am able to go into various offices seeking help.

I experienced abuse from the father of my child but now we are fine. Because of the education given to me by Gender Links I was able to part ways with him and go to the magistrate to get him to support his child. Currently we are in good terms and from time to time he comes to check on the child at my house and at times we talk on the phone. We no longer argue as much thanks to GL. I noticed that once you become independent abuse goes down in your life.

I always encourage those around me to seek help from the social workers when they are abused. Because keeping abuse a secret does not help anyone. My vision for 2030 is to see my business booming and being able to sustain me and my family and also being able to create jobs for the locals.