MEDIA RELEASE
EmpowerAbility Ignites Hope in Taaibosch and Blouberg
Communities, Children, and Leaders Unite for Healing and Lasting Change.
Monday, 27 October 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A powerful sense of unity and renewal filled the Taaibosch Tribal Office as more than 60 representatives from the Blouberg Municipality, the Tribal Authority, the Department of Social Development, and other key partners gathered for a milestone EmpowerAbility community event hosted by Khulisa Social Solutions in partnership with the Mamadi Advice Centre. The gathering celebrated local progress, shared learning, and strengthened partnerships between government, NGOs, and civil society toward a shared vision of social cohesion and sustainable development.
The event, held on Thursday, 23 October 2025, showcased the impact of Khulisa’s EmpowerAbility Programme and its alignment with the Capricorn District and Blouberg Local Municipality Integrated Development Plans (IDPs). Local authorities applauded Khulisa’s long-standing commitment to Blouberg and pledged to work collaboratively to integrate these community-led innovations into formal development planning.
Supported by Ponahalo De Beers, the EmpowerAbility Programme has capacitated four community-based organisations—Mamadi Advice Centre, Taaibosch Disability Centre, Drop-in Centre, and Babirwa Old Age Project—through training in governance, finance, trauma-informed care, and narrative therapy. Eight social cohesion and dialogue circles were conducted across Taaibosch, Ga-Mamadi, and Blouberg, engaging women, youth, and persons with disabilities in co-designing solutions to address gender-based violence, family wellbeing, and inclusion. Advanced Mediation and Peacemaking Training, delivered in partnership with the Society of Mediators (UK), has further strengthened local capacity for restorative justice and conflict resolution.
Dialogue circles in schools revealed high levels of childhood adversity, including poverty, bullying, unsafe environments, and emotional neglect. Many learners expressed fear, insecurity, and a need for supportive adults. In response, NGOs are now implementing school-based interventions, including trauma-informed dialogue circles, art and drama therapy sessions led by eight trained community facilitators, and rights education workshops that build emotional literacy, empathy, and resilience.
Four community-designed projects were also presented: Voice to the Voiceless, Thusanang Initiative, Evolve Networking Project, and the Growing Together Poultry Project. Developed using Khulisa’s Collaborative Implementation Model (CIM), these initiatives tackle unemployment, gender-based violence, youth vulnerability, and food insecurity while promoting local enterprise and civic participation.
Khulisa’s use of technology through its AI-powered InsightHub and EmotiScan tools has transformed how social impact is measured. InsightHub records and analyses multilingual data in real time, while EmotiScan tracks emotional wellbeing through voice and visual cues—providing transparent, data-driven insights to support government and donor reporting.
Dr Lesley Ann Van Selm, Founder and Managing Director of Khulisa Social Solutions, said:
“In Taaibosch and Blouberg, we are witnessing communities transform pain into purpose. When we create safe spaces for dialogue and equip people with skills and data, healing becomes possible, and development becomes sustainable. This event reaffirmed that social cohesion is not a dream—it is happening, one conversation and one community at a time.”
Municipal and tribal leaders commended Khulisa’s long-standing presence in Blouberg and pledged to strengthen partnerships to ensure that the EmpowerAbility model becomes part of the region’s Local Economic Development (LED) and IDP frameworks. The day closed with a renewed sense of collective purpose and a shared commitment to build trauma-aware, self-sustaining communities where children thrive, women lead, and families stand together for a better future.
About us
For over two decades, Khulisa has been at the forefront of restorative justice and peace-making in South Africa, pioneering innovative approaches that restore dignity, rebuild trust, and transform conflict into collaboration. From its early work in prisons and schools to today’s nationwide community-based dialogue circles, Khulisa has consistently demonstrated that justice is not only about law, but about healing relationships and strengthening the social fabric. By embedding restorative practices into communities, Khulisa has cultivated thousands of peacebuilders who turn lived experiences into solutions—laying the foundation for a more cohesive, resilient, and hopeful society.
For more information, contact:
Lesley Ann van Selm | Managing Director and Founder
Khulisa Social Solutions
082 601 2299
