Zam Zam: Empowering Women’s Platform With Education

Zam Zam, an active member of Scalabrini’s Women’s Platform, has found her calling as an advocate for integration. Her leadership skills, coupled with a strong sense of identity, have served as an impactful combination.

Journey to South Africa

Political instability drove Zam Zam Hirsi out of her home in Somalia and into a Kenyan refugee camp, where she spent her much of her childhood and early adolescence. After a period of sustained peace in Somalia, Zam Zam returned home in 2002, hopeful to resume the life she once knew. Shortly after her arrival, however, the political instability that drove her away resumed. Equipped with enough money for only one of them to escape, her mother insisted she go.

Zam Zam sought refuge back in Kenya, but was turned away at the border and threatened with arrest. After a long and dangerous journey, she arrived in South Africa in 2003. At the time, the process of seeking official refugee status was considerably different than it is today. “Things were not so bad then,” she begins. “Refugees were few and home affairs was an easy process, so I got refugee status very quickly.”

Getting Right to Work

Shortly after her arrival, Zam Zam served as a translator and facilitator for other refugee women seeking stability. She describes her first experience advocating on behalf of a group of widowed women. “I went with them to the cemetery, undertakers, and set up meetings with UCT between these very traumatized women who had to go to counseling. UCT saw that I was the only facilitator and I ended up seeing that these women needed a voice. I started to think, this is where I belong.”

“I started to think, this is where I belong.”

Zam Zam was then introduced to Scalabrini, where she began as a member of the Women’s Platform in 2008. She became one of the group leaders among the women’s leadership program, and found fulfillment in this role because it allowed her to meet and connect with other refugee women. Zam Zam went on to help Scalabrini establish credibility within her community. “They played a big role in fighting xenophobia in 2008, and because I am in the center of the refugee community, I helped Scalabrini develop a reputation of trust.”

Impactful Education

Today, Zam Zam leads integration workshops for members of the Women’s Platform. She advocates for the importance of active community involvement. Following her own advice, she is the first non-South African woman to be part of the Community Policing Forum where she lives. “In my area, there are no Somalis. I spoke for the foreign, the Somali shop owners. Sometimes in meetings, the police would blame Somalis, so I represented the good business owners and non-South Africans. I am a spokesperson not just for Somalis, but for the whole community.”

Zam Zam believes the future of integration lies in educating young women. “I only have one vision, and that is to work for my community, and also to achieve more by educating young girls and women, empowering them with information. If you give money today, the money might end next week. But with information, they can empower themselves…I see myself working more and more until it’s the new norm that women can be active in the community.”

“In my area, there are no Somalis. I spoke for the foreign, the Somali shop owners. Sometimes in meetings, the police would blame Somalis, so I represented the good business owners and non-South Africans. I am a spokesperson not just for Somalis, but for the whole community.”

Cape Town Luc Client Stories

Luc: From student to teacher at The English School

We meet Luc, who went from speaking minimal English to being an assistant teacher at Scalabrini’s English School.

The importance of the English School for integration

One of the greatest barriers people meet when coming to South Africa is that of language. Without adequate understanding of South African languages, it becomes difficult to find employment, housing and medical care. Learning languages is the first step to surviving and integrating in South Africa, which is why Scalabrini’s English School serves a crucial role.

The English School at Scalabrini has developed a specialised curriculum specifically for migrants and refugees in a South African context.

Luc’s journey to South Africa

Luc, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was sent to South Africa by his family who wanted him to study further. However, once in Cape Town, the situation back home took an unexpected turn. “My family was attacked and robbed by unknown armed men, my father was fatally shot,” explains Luc. Some people might come to South Africa as migrants, but are thrown into a position of applying for asylum when their home is no longer safe.

Becoming a teacher

Luc’s neighbor connected him to the English School at Scalabrini. He spoke barely any English, and joined the Beginners Course. Luc excelled at the course, passing exams with flying colours. “I came back to do more but I had completed all the classes’. Instead, the English School at Scalabrini suggested he become a teaching assistant. “I didn’t believe in myself and thought it was a miracle,” say Luc. “It was a miracle! I told my mom about it and she didn’t believe it.”

“I didn’t believe in myself and thought it was a miracle, it was a miracle! I told my mom about it and she didn’t believe it.”

Luc’s success is, in part, thanks to his interest in the language. “To improve your English you have to speak, listen to English lessons, songs and newspapers and watch international channels that talk about the world.”

Ultimately Luc would like to study at the University of Cape Town. For now it’s not an option. “I’m currently working small jobs – fixing small things, telephone, mending electronics” – which, he explains, is not nearly enough to cover university fees.

Luc explains that he was different before the course. “I was shy. Scalabrini and English school is my foundation. Even if I go back to my country one day, it will stay with me.”

Luc’s journey to South Africa was also featured in the book In My Shoes, a collection of English School students’ stories.

“I was shy. Scalabrini and English school is my foundation. Even if I go back to my country one day, it will stay with me.”

Cape Town Marie Client Story

Marie: Fighting for papers with Advocacy

Marie*, 64, and her grand-daughter Bibi*, 12, survived an extremely traumatic journey to South Africa. Slowly, the pair are starting to rebuild their lives in Cape Town – with documentation assistance from the Advocacy Programme.

A life left behind

“I used to be beautiful and wear jewels. I used to walk normally”. Sitting in her room in Brookyln, Cape Town, Marie reflects on a life she left behind in Beni – an area in the Democratic Republic of Congo afflicted by heavy conflict. “Last year, we were on a bus in the forest, and the rebels stopped us and caught us. Me and my grand-daughter, Bibi, were forced into one group by the rebels. My husband and my daughter – Bibi’s mother – were put in another group. I have not seen them since.”

Marie was raped by the rebel soldiers, which resulted in her being disabled. Even now, Marie moves around the house with crutches, and can only move outside using a wheelchair. Marie and Bibi managed to escape to a village where a clinic assisted then. “The clinic told us it was not safe to stay there. We were told to flee,” she recalls. The two of them set off on a long, arduous journey to South Africa.

“Last year, we were on a bus in the forest, and the rebels stopped us and caught us. Me and my grand-daughter, Bibi, were forced into one group by the rebels. My husband and my daughter – Bibi’s mother – were put in another group. I have not seen them since.”

Barriers to documentation

“When we arrived in Cape Town, it was difficult for us because we did not have anything or know anyone or anything,” Marie explains. She was becoming sicker, and the two of them were without documentation or housing. Although Marie and Bibi had a strong asylum claim, they could not apply for asylum in Cape Town. The Cape Town Refugee Reception Office remains closed to new asylum applications – despite a court order ruling that the office be reopened. This is part of an ongoing legal case.

Due to Marie’s disability, she was unable to apply for asylum elsewhere in South Africa – and was also unable to apply in Cape Town. “We did not have papers. It was like we were not even in this country,” explains Bibi, who was not able to enroll in school.

Small steps forward

Marie and Bibi visited Scalabrini’s Advocacy Programme. Recognizing the severity of the case, the Advocacy team negotiated with officials of the Department of Home Affairs. In a miracle collaboration, Marie and Bibi’s case was considered so strong that they were permitted to apply for asylum Cape Town Refugee Reception Office. “It was a miracle for us,” explains Marie. “We were told that Home Affairs will never give us papers here. But we went there with members of Scalabrini and Home Affairs agreed to assist us. Now we have a paper, everything has changed. We are brave now.”

Although documented, there are many barriers to overcome for Marie and her young grandchild. Bibi is attending English courses at a local library until she is able to enroll in school. They live day-to-day in a small single room, and depend on the goodwill of others. Worryingly, there is still no news from Marie’s husband and daughter, who were last seen when the rebels abducted them in the forest in Congo. Marie is desperately trying to find them on social networks. “I used to cry … but now I just pray, all night.”

“We were told that Home Affairs will never give us papers here. But we went there with members of Scalabrini and Home Affairs agreed to assist us. Now we have a paper, everything has changed. We are brave now.”

*Names have been changed to protect identities

Cape Town Lucien Client Story

Lucien: Rebuilding a family through Welfare

After seeking asylum in South Africa in 2009, Lucien needed support and guidance to rebuild his life in South Africa. We take a look at Lucien’s journey with the Scalabrini Welfare programme and how this has helped him rebuild his family.

Leaving family behind in DRC

Lucien grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In 2009, when the country was politically unstable, Lucien was forced to leave and seek refuge in South Africa. “For safety reasons I needed to leave my wife and two children and come first,” he explains.

In 2013, Lucien was reunited with his family in South Africa. Family reunification is a joyous occasion – but comes with challenges too. “We had been apart for so long and although I was in regular contact, we needed to rebuild our family from the beginning,” he says. “My children were older. I needed to get to know them again and rebuild my relationship with my wife.”

Lucien admits that he became quite dominating in his family. “I would get upset easily and sometimes became bitter and resentful. This had a negative effect on my relationship with my wife and children.”

“We had been apart for so long and although I was in regular contact, we needed to rebuild our family from the beginning,”

Re-building a family through Welfare

In 2018, the Welfare Team at Scalabrini decided to pilot a parental skills programme with a men’s group. The parental skills program, in partnership with Salesian Life Choices, helps clients to strengthen family units. A strong family forms an important base for migrants and refugees trying to integrate in South Africa. Lucien was invited to join.

Reflecting on the men’s parenting programme, Lucien explains that “the course offered a safe place to reflect and share my experiences with others. I was able to reflect on my own parenting style and realise what wasn’t working. I now choose a more positive, collaborative style of engaging with my family, which I hadn’t known about before.”

After each session, Lucien sat with his family and went through the course notes. “We started to work more together as a team. As I changed, the family changed with me.” He even jokes and says “sometimes if I go back to my old way my children and wife remind me by pointing to the ‘No Put-Down Zone’ poster we were given in our first session.”

Lucien feels that has made the most of the opportunities provided to him. “Scalabrini has become like my second home. I know I will always get the support I need and be guided towards standing on my own. If you are willing to put the effort in, the rewards can be huge. For me, the reward has been rebuilding my family.”

“I was able to reflect on my own parenting style and realise what wasn’t working. I now choose a more positive, collaborative style of engaging with my family, which I hadn’t known about before.”

Cape Town Pamela Client Story

Pamela: Small steps to survival with the help of Welfare

We follow the story of Pamela, a nurse from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), whose hardships in South Africa became more manageable through Scalabrini’s Welfare Programme.

From Congo to South Africa

Pamela, a trained nurse, fled the DRC because it was too dangerous for her to stay. As Pamela explains, ‘to stay in the DRC is difficult. I’m not talking about other people, I’m talking about for me and my husband. To go back is not easy for us’.

Pamela fled to South Africa with no English skills and no money. As South Africa’s economy is larger than that of DRC, Pamela expected that she would find a way to support herself. “I thought that if you go to a country that has many things, that you too can have things.” But even in South Africa, “we only had enough for food and paying rent. We didn’t have much more than that.”

Approaching Scalabrini

Unemployed and desperate to support her two children, Pamela approached Scalabrini in 2015 for assistance. “The first thing I noticed here was the way people communicated with me, asking me how I was and making me feel like I could put my faith here.” Pamela was referred to English School, where she passed through four levels.

“The first thing I noticed here was the way people communicated with me, asking me how I was and making me feel like I could put my faith here.”

Following English School, Pamela was referred to AMKA, a series of workshops and sessions in a collaboration between the Employment Access Programme and the Welfare Programme, designed to raise self-esteem and promote self-resilience amongst vulnerable refugee women. “They give people energy,” explains Pamela. “They show you how to stand by yourself and how to have the courage to achieve your dreams.” Following AMKA, Pamela was supported through a six-week hospitality course, following which she started looking for a job with the assistance of the Employment Access Program. After a short-term job at a guesthouse in Brooklyn, Pamela heard of a position in the Scalabrini Guesthouse. Following interviews, Pamela was offered the position and has been working there ever since.

Steps to building a life in South Africa are slow and small, but Pamela remains positive. “Scalabrini and the people here like Fortune, Papa Etienne and Jane gave me courage. Before, I had big challenges, now I have peace in my heart and my child has food.”

Cape Town Jeanette Client Story

Jeanette: Empowering Women through Sewing

Zenzeleni Zenzeleni

We follow the story of Jeanette, whose business, Zenzeleni Zenzeleni, is growing and thriving thanks to the assistance of Womens Platform.

The Women’s Platform at Scalabrini seeks to empower women and share valuable skills whether it’s personal development skills, business savviness or vocational training. Through these opportunities, a vast network of incredible women has been constructed. Many come back to gain more skills or help their peers. The Women Platform’s small business course helps women grow their small businesses.

Every few days, Jeanette can be seen in the offices of Scalabrini, laying different fabrics down on a desk or showcasing her latest creations for various people in the office. Her backpacks, pants and shirts feature bright blocks of patterns, perfectly sewn together. Sewing is a new skill, which has become more than a simple past time activity. Jeanette’s sewing came out of her journey as a refugee, fleeing from Rwanda to Cape Town.

Jeanette has been in South Africa for thirteen years after fleeing Rwanda in 2005. “I had to escape the violence there was still political unrest and did not feel safe. I first fled to Malawi and then from I made the trek to Cape Town, following my aunt’s advice who had been there before. “Jeanette was drawn to Cape Town’s multicultural and “cosmopolitan” environment. “I felt it was the best place for me to go that was safe and offered opportunities. I have built a life here with my husband and two children, aged three and nine, who were born here.”

“I had to escape the violence there was still political unrest and did not feel safe. I first fled to Malawi and then from I made the trek to Cape Town, following my aunt’s advice who had been there before. “

“When I first arrived I started working in a corner shop. In the following years I could see there was no potential and the job would not lead me anywhere. It left me uninspired and unsure of how to move forward.” In 2013, Jeanette resigned. “After I left that job, I spent my time at home taking care of the house and children – but I knew I could do more. It was then that a friend challenged me to learn sewing and make something of my life. Even though I didn’t like it at first, she would wake me up early and make me learn.”

Jeanette explains that her negative attitude towards sewing was from her preconceptions back in Rwanda. “At home people in this (sewing) job never grow…so when this lady introduced it i was really angry, I thought ‘why are you introducing me to something where I’ll never grow?’ But as time went on, I began to enjoy it and saw the business opportunity.”

“I pushed myself to learn how to sew from YouTube, not wanting to ask for help and as a way to prove myself. I then started to sell my small creations.” When asked about the impact of sewing, Jeanette says it “changed my life from sleeping and crying to someone who can wake up in the morning and say ‘I can do this’.”

In 2016, Jeanette decided to pursue a teaching training at CPUT. “I didn’t have money to afford the class books, so I started selling my pencil cases to my classmates. These became so popular that at some point the Head of Department stood in front of the class, looked out at the students and asked ,’where did all of you get your pencil cases?’ She then allowed me to use the space at CPUT to give sewing lessons. At first I started giving lessons free of charge to high school students and at a cheap price for women”. In trying to expand her sewing business, Jeanette came across Scalabrini. Jeanette came into the office looking for help in finding a marketplace where she could sell her products. She was directed to the Women’s Platform. As part of Women’s Platform intake, women must take a compulsory Personal Development course.

The personal development course aims to enhance women’s self-awareness and the sense of self as a resource while improving personal development skills, such as effective communication, goal setting, conflict resolution, and job-seeking skills. “Looking back at the experience, it taught me to value my own opinion and value myself. It gave me confidence and more inspiration for my business.”

Following the course, Jeanette attended an information session where she learnt about the small business course that was also offered to women. “This is what I needed to make my business grow so I signed up as soon as I could. The Women’s Platform also connected me to a network of people to befriend and sell to, so I wanted to use all the opportunities to grow myself, my business and my network.”

“This is what I needed to make my business grow so I signed up as soon as I could. The Women’s Platform also connected me to a network of people to befriend and sell to, so I wanted to use all the opportunities to grow myself, my business and my network.”

The small business course teaches a variety of skills including bookkeeping and budgeting. “Before this course, I relied on my intuition to stay in check. The skills I learnt on the course were so good, I could implement them into my business immediately.”

With her new Facebook page, Zenzeleni Zenzeleni (which means do it for yourself), Jeanette is excited for the future. “I am now advertising my products on Facebook and running my sewing course every Saturday at CPUT. The aim of my business is not just about myself. I want to give back and create opportunities for others. We are a community upliftment programme, we empower women to learn sewing skills in order for them to use those skills to make profit and be able to feed their families.”

Small businesses like Jeanette’s Zenzeleni Zenzeleni contribute to the South African economy and help create more jobs. Jeanette’s business is contributing to the economy by empowering both migrants and South Africans through her classes, allowing everyone to learn sewing. Even at this point where she is fairly independent, Jeanette still receives support and guidance from Womens’ Platform team, who are teaching her different tools to expand her business including social media and making business cards.

“Women’s platform has become such an important part of my life now. I felt alone at times, but now I have the friendship and support I need to make it in this country. While I am not sure what the future holds, for now I am able to focus on my business, grow it and give others the opportunity to learn this life longs skills. I would not be able to do this without the support of Scalabrini and the Womens Platform.”

Cape Town Fred Client Story

Stories from Lawrence House: Fred

Lawrence House is a registered child and youth care centre based in Woodstock, Cape Town. Lawrence House can accommodate up to 25 children and youth and specialises in the care and protection of unaccompanied foreign minors and refugee children, as well as of children who have experienced trauma.

What happens to youth who, upon reaching independence, have left Lawrence House? We meet Fred, who spent several years of his childhood at the children’s home.

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Cape-Town-Ashalina-Client-Story

Stories from Lawrence House: Ashalina

Lawrence House is a registered child and youth care centre based in Woodstock, Cape Town. Lawrence House can accommodate up to 25 children and youth and specialises in the care and protection of unaccompanied foreign minors and refugee children, as well as of children who have experienced trauma. What happens to youth who, upon reaching independence, have left Lawrence House?

We meet Ashalina, who spent several years of her childhood at the children’s home.

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Cape Town Mama Placide Client Story

African attire, the stylish business of Mama Placide

Mama Placide, 63 years old, comes from Democratic Republic of Congo. She has been living in Cape Town since 2008. In her country she studied to become a nurse, but she has always nurtured her passion for sewing. Once in South Africa, she turned her passion into a business thanks to her skills, her strength and the support of the Women’s Platform of the Scalabrini Centre. She currently runs her business in Brooklyn, Cape Town. The sewing atelier “Uriphos” is located inside the “5 rand store” shop in Koeberg Road. From the shop window it is possible to admire her stylish creations: this attracts lots of clients!

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