Community Women Action (CWA)

Community Women Action NPO was born out of a community's refusal to accept violence and crime as inevitable. Founded in Eerste River in 1999 — starting with a small winter school programme — it has grown into an accredited skills development and community support organisation dedicated to the upliftment of women and youth on the Cape Flats. Their motto speaks to their character: Unity is Strength.

While they are not exclusively a GBV crisis service, Community Women Action plays a vital role in the ecosystem of support available to survivors — particularly through their court support, cancer survivor network, and community mobilisation work in areas that are often underserved by mainstream organisations.

What They Offer Survivors

Court Support and Mobilisation for Abuse Cases Community Women Action mobilises community members and provides direct support at courts for families and individuals dealing with cases involving women and child abuse and rape. If you are navigating the criminal justice system for an abuse or rape case in the Eerste River area and need community solidarity and practical support, they can help.

Cancer Survivor Support Group One of Community Women Action's most distinctive offerings is their cancer support group for survivors and family members affected by cancer — providing emotional support, training, and community. Cancer disproportionately affects women in disadvantaged communities who lack access to early screening and specialist care, and this group fills a real gap.

Awareness Campaigns — Substance Abuse and GBV They run community awareness campaigns around substance abuse and GBV — both of which are deeply intertwined in the Cape Flats context. Their community education work contributes to the cultural shift needed to reduce violence and break cycles of abuse.

Accredited Skills Development Training Community Women Action is an accredited skills training centre, offering women and youth qualifications in hospitality and other vocational skills — with government and private sector funding. The focus is firmly on making women and youth employable and economically self-sufficient. Some of their graduates have gone on to work in top hospitality establishments internationally.

Life Skills and Entrepreneurship Training Beyond vocational skills, their programme includes life skills, entrepreneurship development, and character development — building the whole person, not just a job-ready worker.

EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme) Placement Community Women Action participates in the government's EPWP, providing structured work opportunities and supervised work experience for community members.

Community Women Action is rooted in Eerste River. If you are in the Helderberg/Cape Flats area and need court support or community assistance, contact them through their WordPress site or visit 174 Van Riebeeck Road, Eerste River.