Masithethe Counselling Services

Who Masithethe serves

Masithethe serves the residents of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality and surrounding areas — the communities of East London and the villages and townships beyond. It serves children in crisis, survivors of rape and domestic violence, people contemplating suicide, parents who have lost children, teenagers being bullied, workers overwhelmed by stress, and anyone who feels that the pain they are carrying is more than they can manage alone.

The organisation has no means test and no eligibility criteria. All its services are free.

What Masithethe offers

At the centre (3 St James Road, Southernwood): telephonic crisis counselling; walk-in individual counselling for GBV and rape survivors, grief, trauma, depression, anxiety, stress, bullying, and bereavement; support groups; referral to Clinical Social Workers, Psychologists, and Psychiatrists when professional-level clinical support is needed.

In schools: Masithethe counsellors are embedded in 7 East London schools, providing direct counselling services, psychosocial support, and education to learners and teachers where they are.

In hospitals and workplaces: outreach lay counselling and trauma-informed care at hospitals and corporate companies; EAP support.

In the community: education and awareness presentations on suicide, rape, all forms of GBV, grief, anger management, study skills, sexual health, bullying, and child abuse prevention; facilitation of community dialogues on GBV, rape, bullying, and xenophobia; placement and supervision of Social Work and Psychology students; coordination of the Thursdays in Black campaign; and the annual Walk Against Abuse during 16 Days of Activism.

The training model

Masithethe's volunteer training programme is a signature contribution to the community: a pathway that runs from the Personal Growth Course (developing self-awareness and resilience) to the Counselling Skills Course to induction and internship, ending with a Certificate of Participation and eligibility to serve as a volunteer counsellor. Courses run twice a year (January and July) and cost R600, with bursaries available. This model — training community members to counsel community members — is how the organisation has been able to serve hundreds of thousands of people over four decades on a budget of R1.3 million per year.

Masithethe Counselling Services: masithethe.co.za / 043 743 7266 / admin@masithethe.co.za / 3 St James Road, Southernwood, East London. Free. GBV/rape counselling, crisis, trauma, grief, suicide, school-based, community outreach, volunteer training. 440,000+ served since 1985. GBV crisis: 0800 428 428 (toll-free, 24/7).