SOS Children’s Villages Eswatini - Linda’s Story
Who: SOS Children’s Villages
What: SOS Children’s Villages in Eswatini
Linda Thwala
Linda Thwala is a young man who is 24 years of age and is a volunteer under the Grieg Gender Project as a Peer Educator. He lives with his unemployed father and his 2 siblings.
He completed school in 2018, and the severity of life began, as the expectations of his family were too much for him. He was expected to find a job to support his family. In October 2019 Linda had the opportunity to be volunteer at SOS Children’s Villages and he received a peer education training that transformed his life for the better. The Grieg Gender programme developed Linda’s individual personal capacity and knowledge on gender norms that made his start to challenge harmful practises in his community. One of the cultural norms practised in his area, was to treat women like property and not value women’s opinion. Linda used to witness his father assaulting his mother and he would assume that it was the right thing to do because his mother wouldn't leave. She would defend her husband saying that he is beating her because he loves her.
The information and knowledge he received during the Grieg Gender Programme trainings transformed his mind to see women as people with many capabilities and that women have equal rights as men. He then took a vow to never to lay a finger on a woman no matter how angry he might be. He took a vow to grow up and be a better man. That is why he is pursuing his Bachelor of Social Work at ESwatini Medical Christian University, and he is now doing his third year. He is therefore grateful for the project as it changed his life by boosted his self-esteem, helping him to realize his potential, and challenging gender norms.
The project did not only change his life but also the lives of other people in his community. Linda continues to make an impact to other young people in the community by advocating for women’s rights.
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