In honour of Meghan Cremer, who passed away last year in Philippi, Lize Hartley launched a crowdfunding campaign to support and empower survivors of rape and GBV through female empowerment workshops, mental health support, leadership skills and self-defence training.
She has collaborated with the Justice Desk organisation and BackaBuddy to establish a crowdfunding campaign that aims to raise R60000 for a group of women to be a part of the Mbokodo Club Project. The initiative aims to raise funds for 30 women who will develop themselves through an empowering project.
“The number of women and children murdered in South Africa mirrors those of countries at war. For many women, this femicide can only mean one thing, that men have declared war on the bodies of women,” added Dewhurst. Hartley hopes to empower other women victims of gender-based violence (GBV).
Hartley and Cremer knew each other for about four years. Bonding through their shared passion for riding horses, the two women developed a meaningful friendship.
“For weeks and weeks after Meghan’s death, whenever I parked outside her cottage, on the same property that we kept our horses, I would look for her. And every time I would need to remind myself that she wasn’t there; it took a long time before that sank in,” said Hartley.
Jessica Dewhurst, Justice Desk chief executive said it had been a year since Cremer’s passing and this was considered the best way to honour their friendship and her memory. The aim is to protect other young girls from suffering the same fate.
To support this cause, you can donate by visiting https://www.backabuddy.co.za/for-meghan.
