Black Woman Arise Women Health Foundation

Black Woman Arise Women's Health Foundation (BWAWHF) was founded in 2016 by Sebabatso Tsaoane — a qualified nurse, midwife, master's degree holder, and multi-award-winning women's health advocate who grew up in Thaba-Nchu. Her founding conviction is both personal and profound: if you heal a woman, you heal a community, and in turn, heal a nation.

BWAWHF exists to bridge the sexual and reproductive health (SRHR) information gap that leaves disadvantaged black women and girls without the knowledge or access to healthcare they need to make informed decisions, protect themselves, and live full lives. Their work sits at the intersection of GBV, reproductive health rights, and women's empowerment — recognising that these issues are inextricably linked.

They are funded in part by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation and through Gender Links' Voice and Choice Fund — giving their programmes a strong evidence base and long-term commitment.

What They Offer Survivors and Young Women

Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Education BWAWHF provides comprehensive, evidence-based sex education for adolescent girls and boys — building knowledge about reproductive health, STI prevention, HIV, pregnancy, and the right to make informed decisions about one's own body. This education is provided in schools and communities, directly addressing one of the root conditions that leaves young women vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

GBV Awareness and Advocacy GBV and reproductive health are not separate issues — they are deeply connected. BWAWHF integrates GBV awareness and advocacy into their health education work, helping young women understand what GBV is, why it happens, what their rights are, and where to get help. Their work with Genderlinks specifically focuses on empowering women and girls to claim their voices and choices.

Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Programme (Mangaung) A dedicated programme for adolescents and young people in the Mangaung Metro District addresses teenage pregnancy through comprehensive sex education and by connecting young people with youth-friendly reproductive health services at primary healthcare centres nearby.

Cervical Cancer Awareness, Screening, and Prevention BWAWHF — in partnership with the Free State Department of Health and the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation — runs a large-scale cervical cancer project across the Free State. This includes mobile clinic cervical cancer screening for women in disadvantaged and hard-to-reach areas, community education, and advocacy. No woman needs to die from cervical cancer, and BWAWHF is determined to make that a reality.

Women's Health Talk Show: Her Circle BWAWHF hosts an intimate annual women's talk show — Her Circle — where women from different walks of life share their stories of health, healing, and resilience. This platform breaks silence and creates community around topics that are too often treated as taboo.

Destigmatisation and Rights Advocacy BWAWHF works to dismantle the stigma that surrounds women's reproductive health in Black and disadvantaged communities — stigma that stops women from seeking help, speaking out about abuse, and accessing healthcare. Their advocacy challenges systemic inequalities and pushes for policy change that puts women's health first.

If you are in the Free State or Mangaung area and want to access BWAWHF's health programmes or advocacy support, contact info@bwawhf.co.za or call +27 (0) 66 126 1983.