Songe Social Justice for Social Change

SONGE Social Change was established in 2013 in Mthatha, the administrative capital of the O.R. Tambo District in the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape has consistently reported among the highest rates of sexual violence, femicide, and GBV in South Africa — and its rural geography, weak infrastructure, and high poverty rates mean that survivors, particularly young people, often have almost no access to specialist services. SONGE was built in direct response to that reality.

With 235 employees across 8 branches, SONGE is a substantial community-based organisation by Eastern Cape standards — and News24 coverage of its March 2023 GBV awareness campaign in Zibungu (Libode) confirms active, current on-the-ground operations. Centre Manager Maxwell Fono noted that Zibungu is one of the areas with the highest rates of rape in the district — some reported, many not.

What They Offer

AGYW/AYP Programme — Adolescents and Young People (Ages 10–24) SONGE's Adolescents and Young People (AYP) Programme is delivered across 14 priority sub-districts in the Eastern Cape. It provides a risk-avoidance, age-tailored combination prevention programme addressing HIV and GBV simultaneously — recognising that for young women and girls in rural O.R. Tambo, HIV vulnerability and GBV vulnerability are deeply intertwined. The programme covers consent, healthy relationships, sexual health, rights, and referral pathways, and targets both young women and young men.

LGBTQI+ Programme SONGE's dedicated LGBTQI+ programme works to advance the human rights of LGBTQI+ people and protect them from violence, discrimination, stigma, and criminalisation. In rural Eastern Cape communities, LGBTQI+ individuals face compound vulnerabilities — including the risk of so-called "corrective rape" — with minimal access to affirming services. SONGE's programme fills a critical gap in an area where almost no LGBTQI+-specific services exist.

Women's Health Programme A multi-faceted programme improving women's health through advocacy, mental health support, and psychosocial support activities. The programme approaches women's health holistically — recognising that GBV, reproductive health, mental health, and economic vulnerability are interconnected aspects of the same crisis.

Safe Spaces — Libode, Ngqeleni, Port St Johns SONGE operates Safe Space sites in three towns in the Nyandeni sub-district — Libode, Ngqeleni, and Port St Johns. These spaces are specifically for youth who need counselling or ongoing support from SONGE's social workers. They function as accessible, non-stigmatising entry points into support — particularly important in communities where formal services are distant or distrusted.

GBV Awareness Campaigns — Community Outreach Following the January 2023 rape and murder of 15-year-old Anenceba Nkawana in Zibungu, Libode, SONGE hosted a major GBV awareness campaign in the community. The campaign reached parents, youth, and community members — educating on GBV, rape, and femicide, and making clear that SONGE's Safe Spaces and social workers are available for support. SONGE has committed to continuing campaigns across the entire Nyandeni area.

Human Rights and Healthcare Access SONGE's founding mandate centres on providing access to primary healthcare among marginalised communities while promoting human rights — spanning health, education, economic empowerment, and youth development in addition to its GBV-specific work.

SONGE Social Change: 95 Nelson Mandela Drive, Mthatha, Eastern Cape. Phone: 047 531 6373 / 067 059 9882. Email: admin@songe.org.za. Facebook: SONGE Social Change. Safe Spaces in Libode, Ngqeleni, and Port St Johns.