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Greetings,
As winter is slowly coming to an end in the Southern hemisphere, we look towards a new season for healing, renewal, and hope. Over the past few weeks, we have seen a significant spike in COVID-19 infections in South Africa and other African countries. We continue to pray that citizens will adhere to their governments’ regulations as the fight against the virus continues.
I must admit moving to online platforms has not only been disruptive but also exhausting in many instances – longer working hours and attending more meetings than ever before. It has become important to ask for help and to identify when we need to rest or take some time out. The wellness of our team remains a high priority. I am grateful to the IAM team for their continuous commitment and concern they show for one another and their work.
On 9 August 2020, we celebrated women in South African. Sadly, the celebration of women has been tainted by the continuous reports of GBV incidents during COVID-19 and the senseless killing of women and girls.
I have been encouraged by Anglican laity and clergywomen taking action by inviting the Rev Dr. Thabo Makgoba, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, to a conversation based on their statement “GATVOL YET HOPEFUL!” addressing matters of patriarchy and GBV within the church. This statement highlights the Church’s leading role in perpetuating dangerous conditions for women, making the church complicit in the crimes against women.
It is my sincere hope and prayer that globally all church denominations and religious institutions will acknowledge their role in addressing the violation of women and make it a priority to turn the tide so that women are celebrated and affirmed in all aspects of life. We have no time to waste on this urgent matter!
This month, look out for more blog posts highlighting IAM’s growth and collaboration with our many faith partners in celebration of our 25th Anniversary.
Please hit reply to this email and let us know how you are doing during COVID-19. We thank you for your continued support and prayers.
May the Creator bless you and keep you, may She make her face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you peace.
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Ecclesia de Lange
Director, IAM
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IAM at 25: Learning institutions reflect on their work with IAM (Professor Sarojini Nadar)
IAM’s partnerships with tertiary learning institutions form an integral part of the way that IAM works. We reached out to a number of our partners that we’ve worked with over the years and asked them to reflect on our work together and the impact that it has had on their work in the classroom and in the research field. Prof. Sarojini Nadar speaks with us about her experience partnering with IAM in her work at UWC’s Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice.
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IAM at 25: Civil Society Partnerships
In celebrating our 25th anniversary, the IAM team reflects on the diverse partners and projects that inform and shape our work. IAM’s Thuli Mjwara looks back at our partnerships with civil society partners over the years and reflects on the nature of these partnerships, what drives them forwards, and why IAM will keep investing in relationships with civil society and interfaith activists.
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IAM at 25: Civil Society partners reflect on their work with IAM (Imam Muhsin Hendricks)
In celebrating our 25th anniversary, the IAM team reflects on the diverse partners and projects that inform and shape our work. IAM’s Michelle Boonzaaier looks back at the start of IAM’s partnerships with tertiary institutions, where they are today, and the spaces for co-creation that they open up today for both partners.
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IAM at 25: Civil Society partners reflect on their work with IAM (Linda Chamane)
Investments in partnerships with individual activists and organisations in our community form an integral part of how IAM is effecting change. We reached out to several civil society partners we’ve interacted with over the years and asked them to reflect on our work together and the impact that IAM has on their work and the community more broadly. Linda Chamane speaks with us about how her personal and professional journeys have overlapped with IAM’s work.
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AIDS2020: Truly representing the voices of the African Continent?
IAM’s Greyson V. Thela looks at the recent AIDS2020 conference and its stated goals of spotlighting the needs of populations left behind and asks if the online platform really lent itself to representation of voices from those most affected by HIV in Africa?
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Q&A with Megan Robertson, PhD and IAM-supported scholar
Megan Robertson spoke with IAM about her recent PhD research at UWC looking at the complex relationship between institutional power and the ordinary lived realities of clergy in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA). She shares her motivation for undertaking this research, her methodologies, as well as some of her key research findings.
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- "Gender-based Violence is a Human Rights Violation" webinar | 19 August 2020 | 15:00 – 17:00 | https://bit.ly/GBVWebinarRSVP
- ActUbumbano is continuing their learning hub discussions in August to continue to reflect on organising, solidarity and resistance against injustice | Time and date TBD, learn more here | register here
- IAM's Thuli Mjwara is again taking part in putting together a diversity management training resource for CPUT 1st and 2nd year students at the end of August
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At IAM we are continually striving to create a sense of belonging in a country that has great love and potential but is often characterised by harsh divisions. We are creating safe spaces for dialogue where the marginalised can finally have a voice. But, we can't do it alone.
We ask that you, our IAM friends, consider supporting us financially in our ongoing transformative work throughout Africa. With your help, we can build on the accomplishments of the past 25 years and continue on for many years to come.
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