Article source: yellowforsurvivors.co.za
On 17 September 2022 Leilani Kuter, director of the non-profit company, Yellow For Survivors will be completing her last walk for victims of gender-based violence.
“It’s now 30 years since my own incident. It is time to focus on prevention and treatment. Yellow For Survivors will be hosting self-defence classes on a more regular basis in collaboration with professional organizations. We also aim to build a network of competent therapists and counsellors who can assist victims of GBV, which is rarely available to those who cannot afford treatment.” Leilani comments.
Leilani received a spiritual message on 4 April 2019 to start telling her story about her own rape ordeal on 16 September 1992. She undertook a massive walk of 27 km per day for 27 days to shine the spotlight on survival and raise money for organizations who assist rape survivors with comfort packs and counselling, which isn’t always obtainable without a medical aid. She managed to raise over R250 000.
During the walk she realized there was a demand for survivors to take their own power back. She started getting requests for dedication walks from survivors and family members of victims who sadly didn’t survive their attacks. Some survivors walked with Leilani and completed distances of over 50 km.
About ending this chapter, Leilani remarks “I believe that Yellow for Survivors made a difference and that we touched people’s lives in a meaningful way through the dedication walks and annual walks. It was also a healing process for me.”
Yellow for Survivors has raised funds through various fundraising initiatives since 2019, which included a 430 km journey in 2022 and a 29 hour walk in 2021. Every time Leilani had people who walked with her. The funds raised were donated to organisations who assist survivors of GVB.
Yellow For Survivors invites anyone to walk with Leilani on the 17th of September in the Cradle of Mankind. The 30 km route will start at 5:30 am at Bidon Bistro in Muldersdrift. Any distance is welcome, should 30 km be too steep. The invitation is also open to cyclists and runners.
At 10am there will be a self-defence class facilitated by Gary Lewis and Carien Davel from the NPC Never Tap Out. The class will take place at Bidon Bistro.
There is a donation fee of R50 to attend the class. General donations can be made to www.yellowforsurvivors.co.za/donate.
All funds raised on the day will be donated to Matla A Bana and the Go Purple Foundation who assist Rape and GBV survivors.
For more information, visit the Yellow For Survivors Facebook page or send an email to corlize@yellowforsurvivors.co.za.
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Date published: 08/09/2022
Feature image: Image for illustrative purposes only. Artwork adapted from
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