by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG – GLOBAL beauty company, Avon Justine, has provided relief to abused children taken care of in a facility north of Johannesburg.

The company has joined forces with human rights activist and retired Constitutional Court Justice, Edwin Cameron, to celebrate Pride Month (June) by making a donation to Guild Cottage, of which Cameron is patron.

The donation, of personal care hampers comprising Avon Justine products, is for both the residents and caregivers at Guild.

Hampers consist of essential personal care products, that are critical during the advent of COVID-19 pandemic.

Momin Hukamdad, the Executive Commercial Marketing Director at Avon Justine, said since its inception some 135 years ago, Avon had advocated for complete emancipation of women.

“We have harnessed, and continue to leverage the power of beauty to create a better and safer world for women,” the official said.

“The commemoration of Pride Month resonates with our values as it speaks to the importance of giving women agency and the freedom to choose whom they want to love without any fear of violent reprisals, as has tragically been the case in this country.”

Pride Month is celebrated globally each year to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots.

“I am delighted that Avon has made this donation to a thoroughly deserving children’s project,” Cameron stated.

Children often and unfairly bear the brunt of maltreatment and physical and sexual abuse.

It is estimated that 42 percent of South Africa’s children have experienced some form of ill-treatment while 82 percent have either experienced or witnessed some form of victimisation.

This is according to the figures released by Optimus National Prevalence Study, the first-ever nationally representative study of child maltreatment in South Africa.

– CAJ News