Bet Sheekoom is derived from a Hebrew word meaning restoration, and for thousands of women that is exactly what Bet Sheekoom is. A haven dedicated to assisting destitute, abandoned, or abused women and their children in crises. Bet Sheekoom has been opening their doors by offering our beneficiaries a safe alternative to the abusive environment that they find themselves trapped in since 2001.
At Bet Sheekoom we strive to awaken hope, rebuild lives, and restore families by empowering women. Our outreach programmes offer guidance to women on the street who need assistance to leave a life of sex work, domestic violence, substance, and sexual abuse. Bet Sheekoom offers a holistic approach which aims to achieve physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being via counselling, skills development, the necessary medical treatments required and healthy support groups.
Women of any age, race, faith, or socio-economic background are welcome to take refuge for as long as it takes them to become restored and equipped to start a new life of their own. Bet Sheekoom works with referrals from the SAPS, Social Development, and the Rape Crises Centre. Bet Sheekoom is also registered with TIP (Trafficking in Persons) and the NFN (National Freedom Movement.)
Where it all started
Mission
To assist women and girls with children in crises by giving them an alternative to the abusive environment that they find themselves trapped in; to offer them a place of safety, and to reach out to girls on the street who need assistance to leave the life of drugs, sex work and abuse. To care for these ladies spiritual, physical, and emotional needs, while empowering them through training. To assist in integrating them back into society and to make a positive contribution. To resort family ties by reuniting family members and uplifting their circumstances to enable them to become self-sufficient.
Vision
To create a home, on a small holding to house 20 or more women and their children in a tranquil, yet secure environment far enough away from the danger of abuse and drugs, yet near enough to areas there the women can find employment for themselves and schooling for their children. To offer an onsite play school where children can be supervised while mothers are working or studying. A place where skills can be learned and wholeness can be achieved. The dream is that the home becomes self-sufficient, where we can grow up leaders amongst them to take the role of supervising other newcomers to the home.
Some of our work
Beneficiaries
Bet Sheekoom assists the wider district of Nelson Mandela Bay, our passion is to assist the community as much as possible. Bet Sheekoom distributes food parcels to the less fortunate in and around Nelson Mandela Bay on an average of 4700 food parcels per month which assist the community.
Testimonials
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How to get involved?
Are you looking for your companies next CSI adventure or are you trying to make a difference as an individual – give us a shout and lets see how we can connect and work together against GBV!
Contact us
Gary Koekemoer
084 570 1185
chairperson@betsheekoom.org.za
Shelley Koekemoer
083 652 1753
projectmanager@betsheekoom.org.za
Donations go a long way in making what we do possible