Students make life-changing difference to female survivors of abuse in South Africa
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Lillie-Rose Pilkington, 18, who was part of the team that helped establish Project Brave Space, surrounded by some of the local children in Zululand
By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor
Students and staff from Bishop Burton College have set up a life-changing project to help South African women and girls who are victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Policing, forensic science and art and design students first travelled to Zululand in February 2025 on a volunteering programme, completing community work at a nursery, visiting orphanages, carrying out eye tests, learning about poaching, and experiencing a safari tour.
The South African coordinator of the trip, Lundy Shaw Bredberg, brought severe abuse and violence issues to the attention of Chloe Atkins, curriculum lead for policing and forensic science at the college, ahead of a period poverty event planned for women and girls.
Within less than 24 hours, the focus for the day had widened to support the 70 women and girls due to attend, with Chloe, her colleagues and the students creating posters, sharing advice and planning activities to support them and raise awareness.
Project Brave Space was born and the resulting empowerment workshop was a huge success, with open conversations, uplifting talks and key safety information shared.
TRIP: Bishop Burton College students involved in Project Brave Space
Seventeen students joined the first trip and a second visit took place earlier this year, with a third planned for early 2027, enabling students to continue making a difference and the project to grow.
Inspired by the initial success on the first trip, policing and forensic science students are now creating a website and literature known as a “zine” to share with the women and girls, while art and design students are illustrating the content and developing associated graphics.
The zine will be small and discreet for women and girls to carry, containing safety information, positive affirmations, statistics and signposting to places for support.
This work will form part of students’ work experience before they are given the opportunity to apply to travel to Zululand and deliver the workshops first-hand next year.
Chloe is a qualified and experienced independent domestic violence advocate (IDVA), having worked alongside the police and an independent charity in her previous roles.
SUPPORT: Children attending the empowerment camp
Domestic violence is also the topic of her PhD and she has delivered online training and workshops for the project since returning to East Yorkshire, continuing to support voluntarily.
Chloe said: “The reality of domestic abuse and sexual violence in South Africa is shocking and it was very apparent that a lot of women and children were truly in need. Some of the women and girls had walked for hours to join us – the youngest was seven years old.
“We didn’t have any laptops or teaching materials with us, so we raided the stationery aisle in the only local shop to make posters and lesson plans.
“We wanted to uplift and empower the women and girls, helping them to understand that what had happened to them was not their fault, they are not alone, and put an end to violence. We asked them to design posters to take back to their communities to help raise more awareness.
“I’m so proud of all of the students involved. It’s helping to develop their leadership skills and confidence as they work towards helping others in their future careers.
LIFE-CHANGING: A local family in Zululand holding the poster they made at the Project Brave Space workshop
“The feedback from the women involved has been incredible. They feel they can be themselves again in a safe and brave space.”
Bishop Burton students and staff left the project resources in Zululand to enable workshops to continue running with the local teams outside the college’s visits.
Lillie-Rose Pilkington, 18, who recently completed her travel and tourism studies at the college, near Beverley, has been to Zululand twice and was part of the team that helped establish Project Brave Space.
She said: “This project is so important because there are lots of girls out there who are struggling and don’t know who to go to. They now know where they can go for help.
“Women and girls face so many challenges and fears out there, and it makes you so grateful for what we have at home. It was an amazing opportunity to have twice, and it will stay with me forever.”
EXPERIENCE: Bishop Burton College policing students Thomas Somerville and Alfie Samson
As part of Project Brave Space, three-day camps have also been created for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse in Zululand, including arts and crafts, beauty treatments, self-care activities, self-defence lessons and safari experiences.
Women and girls are also provided with torches and safety alarms thanks to fundraising by the South African team.
Bishop Burton policing student Thomas Somerville, 18, will have chance to apply to be part of the team delivering workshops in Zululand next year and is helping create resources as part of his work experience.
He said: “The fact we’re able to help and support in this way feels so meaningful. I’m excited to hopefully see how our work is making a difference.”
Fellow policing student Alfie Samson, 17, who may also apply join the visit next year, said: “This is such an important issue and the statistics are shocking. This project is helping women and girls to know they are not alone and they can seek support.”
‘SO PROUD’: Chloe Atkins, curriculum lead for policing, forensic science and public services at Bishop Burton College
The shocking reality
The first workshop run by staff and students from Bishop Burton College helped to make an instant difference – a legacy which continues to grow.
Chloe said a young woman working for Zululand-based Wild Connections, which hosts the trips, had been raped when a gang raided her home.
She attended the workshop as a woman who needed support, rather than a member of staff, and she said she found it reassuring in such harrowing circumstances.
Chloe said: “Convictions are almost unheard of but we managed to get the man arrested and convicted. The woman received a good outcome and she is now safe. But the statistics are truly heartbreaking.”
Figures collated by the Wild Connections team show:
50 per cent of South Africa’s children will be abused before the age of 18.
9 per cent of reported rape cases involve children under the age of nine.
According to a 2022 study, 5.5 million women were estimated to have experienced sexual violence during their lifetime based on a population of 60.6 million at the time.
Out of the 5.5 million women who have been sexually abused or raped, 770,000 perpetrators were convicted – just 14 per cent.