Nationally, more than 1 250 local community organisations are at risk as a result of the freeze.
GRIP receives almost half of its R15 million in annual funding via NACOSA, the Networking HIV and AIDS Community of Southern Africa, which in turn receives funding from PEPFAR USAID, the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief.
Both these organisations were affected by the funding suspension.
Since its inception 20 years ago, GRIP has assisted over 50 000 survivors of GBV and people living with HIV/Aids, ranging in age from 6 months to over 80 years old.
“To ensure that we offer a fully comprehensive service to the community – which we have termed our GRIP ‘circle of care’ – GRIP has established care rooms at various first points of entry for anyone wanting to report a case of GBV. We are based at several police stations, hospitals and courts across Mpumalanga where we have employed experienced first responders and qualified social workers to assist victims and support them on their journey to becoming strong and healed survivors,” Tarryn Lokotsch, CEO of GRIP, says.
“We also run two fully fledged shelters for vulnerable women and children, as well as prevention programmes in the community to educate young people and end the cycle of violence South Africa is experiencing,” she says.
All of this could come crashing down if GRIP does not manage to secure funding to fill the enormous gap created by the USAID funding suspension.
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“Although we have a number of other dedicated funders, the funding received from PEPFAR USAID via NACOSA is substantial. This current situation affects the funding for care rooms at five public hospitals, as well as the organisation’s prevention programme, which has sadly been suspended in full.
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“GRIP feels a strong sense of responsibility to the communities we serve and the stakeholders we support and as such, we plan to keep all five care rooms affected fully operational during the time of the funding pause,” Tarryn explains. The organisation has managed to accumulate some savings that are now being used to ensure that services continue, albeit with much difficulty.
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GRIP has already had to temporarily lay off 24 of its 100 employees for three months due to the funding pause and many of the remaining staff have accepted pay cuts or are volunteering for GRIP to keep its doors open.
Tarryn expressed how thankful she is to have such a dedicated team who have been so understanding and supportive throughout this crisis.
“At this point the freeze is only for 90 days, but we don’t know if we will get our US-based funding back at the end of the period,” Tarryn says.
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“We have no idea what the future holds for us. We are taking advantage of any opportunities to submit proposals for other funding, but the amount available for NGOs and specific to GBV is limited and I fear that where there are opportunities, applications from all NGOs affected by the funding pause will flood in” she says.
But GRIP and its staff are resilient and do not plan to give up anytime soon.
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Tarryn says that GRIP has lost its funding before and has always fought back and made a plan. They are ready and prepared to do it again by working hard, remain positive and stay open for as long as possible.
“Our community and the survivors of GBV need us. We will be there to help, as we have been for the past 20 years. But now we ask our community to be there for us in the same way we have always been there for them. We need local funding from the government and businesses – every bit helps!”
“We need to keep GRIP’s doors open at all costs. If we are not here, what will become of the thousands of GBV victims we help every year? During 2024 alone, GRIP supported almost 2 000 survivors at their hospital-based care rooms,” Tarrys says.
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She says even ordinary people could help to ease the load. One care pack for a rape survivor costs about R120, to place a first responder in a hospital for a day costs approximately R250, and to care for a woman or child in a shelter costs R1 000 a week. This is doable if we all work together” she says.
If you are able to help in any way, please contact Tarryn at ceo@grip.org.za for more info.
To donate, GRIP’s banking details are:
- Bank: Standard Bank
- Name of account: The Greater Nelspruit Rape Intervention Project
- Current account number: 03-259-255-8
