Lesedi La Batho Community Centre

Lesedi la Batho — meaning "light for the people" in Sesotho and Setswana — is a Christian faith-based non-profit community centre in Mabopane township, 40km north of Pretoria. Founded in 2011 with a heart for the most marginalised, they operate a multi-faceted community centre that reaches over 7,000 beneficiaries annually across skills training, youth development, women's empowerment, GBV support, sports, arts and culture, and social relief.

Their vision: to make South Africa a beacon of hope by providing youth and community with the opportunities and skills to realise their full potential. At the centre of that vision is an unshakeable belief in human dignity — that every person, no matter how deep their circumstances, can become independent, purposeful, and a contributing member of society.

What They Offer Survivors

Ikemele Women's Empowerment Project — For GBV Survivors This is Lesedi la Batho's dedicated programme for survivors of gender-based violence, and it is one of the most comprehensive GBV survivor empowerment programmes offered by a community centre in the Tshwane North area. Ikemele means "stand on your own" — and that is precisely what this programme helps survivors do.

Over six months, women receive: - Individual and group counselling with a trained counsellor - Practical support tailored to each survivor's situation - Skills training (from the full skills training menu below) - Life skills and work readiness training - Support for children affected by GBV through the Ratanang Day Care Centre - Referrals to specialist legal and social services where needed

Free Skills Training Courses — Open to All Women All skills training at Lesedi la Batho is free. Courses run for three months and include: - Computer Literacy - Sewing and Beading - Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development - Baking and Catering - Baby Care and Child Health - Cashier and Merchandising - Life Skills and Work Readiness (compulsory component for all courses)

Each graduate receives a Certificate of Completion at a community graduation ceremony — a powerful, visible moment of achievement. Since 2011, over 1,200 courses are completed annually, and more than 1,000 people have been placed in employment through their job placement programme.

Job Placement Assistance Active partnerships with employers mean that graduates are actively connected to real jobs. Over 1,000 placements have been achieved since the organisation launched.

Ratanang Day Care Centre Free daycare is provided for children of programme participants — ensuring that young mothers can attend training, work, or access support without worrying about their children's safety and care. The centre also actively encourages and supports young mothers to stay in school.

Support for LGBTQI+ and Sex Workers Lesedi la Batho explicitly runs programmes for LGBTQI+ community members, teenage mothers, and current or former sex workers — providing emotional support, practical assistance, and breaking cycles of poverty and vulnerability in an environment free from stigma.

Social Relief Food parcels, building assistance, clothing, and goods donations provide immediate material support to those in crisis — so that survival needs never block access to longer-term empowerment.

Youth Sports, Arts and Culture The Lesedi Strikers soccer club operates at seven high schools in Mabopane — seven of the programme's graduates have received sports scholarships, been drafted to universities, or represented the national under-20 team. Sport is used as an access point for life skills, mentorship, and positive futures.

All services at Lesedi la Batho are FREE. If you are a GBV survivor in the Mabopane or greater Tshwane North area, contact them about the Ikemele Women's Empowerment Project: 012 343 8060 or info@lesedilabatho.co.za.