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Project Outline 

 

The Women RISE Project is a two-year research and social action initiative dedicated to rebuilding rural communities and empowering women, with a particular focus on public health interventions and rural livelihoods. Our mission is to document and address the intersectional challenges faced by women in rural settings, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Inspired by the resilience of rural women, our project aims to highlight and tackle the socio-economic and health-related challenges they face. We document the lives of 300 women before, during, and after the pandemic to identify trends and triggers affecting their livelihoods and health. By applying a "People’s Science" (PS) approach, we emphasise how the knowledge and perspectives of local communities can better inform traditional biomedical science.

Research Context

The Eastern Cape, located on South Africa’s southeastern coast, is a region of stunning natural beauty and cultural diversity. Known for its rugged cliffs, dense green bush, and the Wild Coast, the province is rich in both history and natural resources. It is home to over 7.2 million people and features a mix of tropical and temperate climates, making it a "world in one province."

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Major cities in the Eastern Cape include:

  • East London: Economic hub of Buffalo City Metropolitan area

  • Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth): Largest economic center in Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area

  • Bhisho: Seat of the Eastern Cape provincial government

 

According to Census 2022, the Eastern Cape is home to over 7.2 million people, comprising 47.4% males and 52.6% females. Within the province's population, more than 85% are Black African, 7.6% are Coloured, 5.6% are White, and less than half a percentage is Indian (Stats SA, Census 2022).

Methodolody 

The project is based on ethnographic fieldwork-based methodology. Researchers will spend 6 months from mid-February to mid-August of 2023 living in a variety of rural communities across the Eastern Cape as co-resident researchers participating in the everyday lives of women's families and communities.​

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•  Fieldwork-based data gathering

•  Collection of life histories

•  Participant observation

•  Issue/Stakeholder interviewers

•  Focus groups and policy workshops

Themes  

  • Livelihoods and Vulnerability 

  • Gender-Generational Based Violence 

  • Mental Health and Well-Being 

  • Covid and Comorbidities

  • Democracy, Governance and Participation

  • Homestead and Communal Farming

  • Care work / rural unpaid women’s labour

  • Crime and Rural Policing

  • Managing Cultural Practices/Ritual

  • Alcohol and Drug Use and Abuse

  • Sexual and Reproductive Health

  • Clinics, Nurses, Basic services

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