Mosaic Training, Service and Healing
Centre for Women, South Africa

Mosaic Training, Service and Healing Centre for Women, South Africa.

Mosaic was established in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1993 after extensive research to determine the priority needs of survivors of violence. Activities began with the training of “grassroots” women from within specifically targeted areas to be community and court workers. Mosaic delivers a range of social support services and projects to clients (mainly women and girls) caught up in gender violence and, in more recent years because of the correlation, to those affected by HIV/AIDS. All support services have been determined by the clients’ real and perceived needs and by various community leaders and forums.

Support services are free, culturally appropriate and easily accessible to clients, including: educational/public awareness presentations (abuse, human rights, legal rights, and HIV/AIDS); medical assistance/advice (reproductive health and HIV/AIDS); skills training and development (permaculture vegetable gardens - for food security and healthy living; HIV/AIDS; and life skills); support groups; legal services (court support and other); and counselling services backed by appropriate networking and referral services. Advocacy and training for policy changes are key elements in our work towards reducing the incidence of sexual violence.

Mosaic is a unique in that it was the first organization in the Western Cape to start working with domestic violence complainants directly at the courts. There is in fact no other organization in the Western Cape that either provides holistic service to applicants in court, or researches the effectiveness of government procedures within courts.