Digital Stories: Gugu
Gugu grew up in a family that didn’t talk openly about relationships and love. As a teenager, she began seeing a man who abused her and forced her to have sex without a condom. Soon Gugu was a young mother, struggling to find acceptance. Gugu wants others to listen to her story and think about […]
Fezile’s story
Taught by his grandfather to obey traditional culture, Fezile grew up tending cattle and sheep, and spending all day on the veld. Now a young adult, he realizes that a man is defined by the responsibilities he takes on in life, and he challenges strict gender roles by cooking and washing dishes for his family. […]
Nombasa
Nombasa shares her anguish over the problems plaguing her rural Eastern Cape Province community, as she talks about how little voice women seem to have and about watching friends succumb to drugs, crime, and apathy. She wonders whether she and her friends will achieve their career goals and dreams of making her home safe for […]
Anonymous male
Anonymous has crossed the Zimbabwe-South Africa border many times. He is one of many Zimbabweans who, every day, face starvation, dangerous animals, the Limpopo river floods, thugs, cruel farmers, and the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, all in an attempt to make a living for themselves and their families. Special thanks to […]
Paul
As an out, gay, HIV+ minister, Paul constantly stands up against stigma and discrimination. His journey began at a young age, when he and his peers challenged the apartheid regime’s Group Areas Act to visit gay bars in Johannesburg. He subsequently took part in South Africa’s first-ever official gay pride march, which brought gay men, […]
Motsamai
Motsamai was forced to drop out of tertiary education in South Africa when his father, a miner, was retrenched. He sought employment in Johannesburg with a group of his peers working in theatre. The women in the group faced sexual exploitation, when all they wanted was a safe place to stay in the City of […]
Sibongile
Sibongile, from Swaziland, lost her home and possessions as a result of gender discrimination and poverty. When her husband died of AIDS, his family forced her and her children out of their house. After struggling to survive, she found a job as an AIDS activist and now works to secure the equal rights of women […]
