Mending broken lives

The Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children (SBC) in Manenberg stands as a beacon of hope for women who experience genderbased violence. Keeping this hope alive with passion, focus and love is Shaheema McLeod, Director of SBC, and her team.

After working at SBC for eight years, Shaheema found herself at the helm of the organisation, providing a safe haven for abused women and their children. She is unrelenting when it comes to the protection and wellbeing of SBC’s clients. “My team and I are very close, like a family. We fight hard for our clients.”

Shaheema is passionate about doing everything she can to ensure that the SBC succeeds. So much so, that she didn’t hesitate to return to work during maternity leave when the centre needed her to help develop a plan to secure funding.

Respectfully honest and always gracious, her ethos is simple: “Regardless of rank, status or position you are just a person like me and I have the right to say my say. I am not afraid to say my say, as long as it doesn’t compromise my morals and ethics.”