Recipe for success: these GBV survivors are healing one cupcake at a time

Five Johannesburg women — all survivors of gender-based violence — are kneading and beating their trauma away in a tiny bakery they started to gain financial independence from their abusers.

The Wise Women Stand Bakery, which fired up its oven for the first time last month, operates from a spare room at the home of Sibongile Motsosi, who survived repeated rape by an uncle when she was eight.

The bakery forms part of the #EndDomesticSilence initiative by People Opposing Women Abuse (Powa) with tea brand Joko, and is empowering abused women across SA with skills to become entrepreneurs by teaching them how to bake, apply makeup, make wigs, do nails and eyelashes, drive and sew.

“By the end of the year, 300 gender-based violence [GBV] survivors will be trained,” said Thandiwe McCloy of Powa.

Motsosi, now 45, said she and her four fellow bakers learnt how to bake cakes, scones, cupcakes, biscuits, muffins and doughnuts through the training they received by Eat Sum Mo Bakes and Catering.

“I was raped several times by my father’s cousin when I was eight. I founded Wise Women Stand (WWS), where we run support groups for GBV survivors.

“I’m fulfilled by this important work because GBV can impact your life. Being raped caused my school work to suffer because I struggled to concentrate in class. I suffered psychologically. I left school in grade 11 because of the trauma. This made it harder to study further, and it is great that learning baking skills has given me the chance to earn an income.”

Motsosi likened her newfound baking skills to earning a degree.

“It makes me so happy. It feels like I have a degree.”

“It’s important for GBV survivors to be able to support themselves because without an income they are more vulnerable to staying in an abusive relationship or going back to an abuser because they are dependent on them.”

The women gather each morning to concoct fresh batches of their baked wares.

“We approach schools in our area and ask them if they want us to bake products for the children. Shops place orders with us, and community members also order birthday cakes for friends and relatives.

“It’s going well, the bakery will take us far. It won’t be long before we become much bigger. It feels good when people say our baked products are excellent. It has changed my life because it has kept me busy, which relieves stress and relaxes my mind,” she said.

One baker who did want to be identified said she has learnt to work as part of a team.

She suffered abuse from her husband after their toddler son died after a short illness in 2014.

“He was coughing one night, and I took him to the doctor the next morning. He was admitted to hospital, and not long after, I was told that he’d died.

“It was so traumatic because he was a healthy child. My husband blamed me for his death and went around telling people that I had been a negligent mother. I was in pain and depression for many years, then this year, my friend suggested that I become part of the monthly Wise Women Stand (WWS) support group for GBV survivors. It started my healing process.”

It’s important for GBV survivors to support themselves to build their self-esteem, often damaged by abuse.

—  GBV survivor and baker

She channels her pain into her baking and helping to growing the business.

“It’s important for GBV survivors to support themselves to build their self-esteem, which is often damaged by abuse.

“By being able to support yourself gives you greater control around how you want your children to be raised. I want to give my children the best education and the best life. Financial independence encourages assertiveness, instead of being bullied into accepting decisions one is uncomfortable with.”

“Each of us five women has contributed items to the business through our sales and putting some of our grocery money towards it. We’ve all bought ingredients and I’ve bought a baking bowl, while others have bought a scale, cutters, a baking tray.”

Mpho Masilo, Powa’s projects and training manager, said by being empowered to earn money, GBV survivors can better support themselves and their children.

“This way, they are more likely to end their silence and speak out about abuse — rather than stay in abusive relationships — because they are economically independent. They are also at reduced risk of being lured by fake employment opportunities that put them in danger.”