Hosted by The Philanthropic Collection, The SheEO SleepOut, a chapter of The CEO SleepOut, is this year calling on female business leaders to spend a night sleeping outdoors at the Union Buildings. The objective of the project is to create awareness, encourage participation and galvanise the nation to support and empower vulnerable communities. The project will also raise funds for Door of Hope, an NGO that cares for abandoned babies.
“I support the SheEO SleepOut. I am also excited to see female business leaders in South Africa and influencers come together to discuss solutions for change. In light of the recent violence against women in the country, I believe this event is even more important at the moment,” Shabangu said, before inviting The SheEO SleepOut to move the date of the event to August. In a series of tweets she said, "In light of the attacks on women, it’s important to get female leaders together at The SheEO SleepOut. Why not during Women’s Month? I would like to invite you to change the date of your event to 8 August, the eve of Women’s Day. I will host you at the Union Buildings. I believe this is an apt date for the event.” She also highlighted the fact that Women’s Day is a tribute to the more than 20,000 women who marched on 9 August 1956, to the Union Buildings, the venue for this year's The SheEO SleepOut.
“The attacks on women in South Africa that have been highlighted recently have shown us that the SheEO SleepOut is more important than ever. While abuse of women is a problem for both men and women, this event can become a space for women influencers to discuss change for their sisters, mothers and daughters,” says philanthropist and founder of The Philanthropic Collection, Ali Gregg. “It also emphasises why the work of our primary beneficiary, Door of Hope, is so necessary.”
The NGO's mission is to care for babies who have been abandoned, which is very often a result of crisis pregnancies and domestic violence. “The challenge is we often do not know the reasons behind abandonment. What we do seem sure of is that men abandon the women before women abandon their children. Often these women are also abandoned by their family, and are left with no support,” says Luke Lamprecht, CEO SleepOut beneficiary consultant and child protection specialist.
“The timing of the event is excellent,” said Madonsela, referencing the recent attacks on women. “Often we think government needs to solve all the problems… but we all need to play a role. And when it comes to issues of troubled families and communities, we are closer as community members to these problems, and we can do something…”
For more information on The SheEO SleepOut, go to www.theceosleepoutza.co.za.
