On Friday, 22 August 2025, the Gauteng Department of Health marked an important milestone in celebrating Women’s Month. A total of 193 young women successfully completed First Responder Training in Devland, Johannesburg. This initiative, spearheaded by MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, highlights the department’s commitment to empowering women with practical skills that save lives and strengthen communities.
The programme, offered by the Lebone College of Emergency Care, equips participants with essential emergency response knowledge, building resilience and confidence among young women while preparing them to act as community lifesavers.
Empowering Women Through First Responder Training
Women’s Month is often filled with symbolic celebrations, but this initiative goes beyond words. By training 193 young women as first responders, the Gauteng Department of Health has taken a practical, life-changing step toward empowerment.
The training provided:
- CPR skills to help revive people in life-threatening situations.
- Techniques for assisting individuals during seizures.
- First aid for burns, sprains, and strains.
- Guidance on treating stab or gunshot wounds.
- Support strategies for fall victims and household injuries.
This training ensures that when emergencies strike, communities will have capable women ready to respond before professional medical teams arrive.
Learn more: How CPR and Trauma Training Are Building Safer Communities in Joburg
A Celebration of Achievement
To mark the completion of the programme, MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited Devland and personally handed over certificates to the graduates. She praised their dedication, resilience, and compassion, emphasizing that this programme is about more than first aid it is about leadership and empowerment.
She stated:
“When women are trained to lead and respond, they help build resilient families and neighbourhoods. This programme is about more than first aid; it is about giving young women the power to protect, lead, and inspire.”
Her words captured the essence of the initiative uplifting women to become agents of change in their homes and communities.
Voices of the Graduates
The women who completed the programme shared heartfelt reflections about their experiences:
- Nontshindiso Ngcongo expressed gratitude, saying:
“I learned how to attend to a sick person at home and how to respond to someone who has been burned. The training was very insightful, and now I know what to do during an emergency while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.” - Thembi Khosa highlighted new opportunities, adding:
“It was very helpful because we learned how to do CPR. What I had the opportunity to learn has opened my eyes to new opportunities, and this looks like a course I am interested in enrolling in.”
These testimonials reflect the confidence, knowledge, and hope instilled in the participants.
Impact on the Community
The First Responder Training Programme does more than teach medical skills. It instills:
- Confidence under pressure – enabling women to stay calm during crises.
- Leadership abilities – preparing them to take charge in emergencies.
- A sense of responsibility – encouraging community members to rely on one another.
- Compassionate care – ensuring that assistance is given with empathy and dignity.
By equipping women with these skills, the programme contributes to building safer, more resilient neighbourhoods in Johannesburg and beyond.
Women’s Month with Meaningful Action
This initiative demonstrates how Women’s Month can be celebrated through impactful, action-driven programmes. Instead of being symbolic, it provides real opportunities and practical skills that change lives.
Training 193 young women is not just about emergency care, it’s an investment in South Africa’s future. These women now stand as pillars of safety, strength, and empowerment in their communities.
The Gauteng Department of Health, together with Lebone College of Emergency Care, has set a remarkable example by empowering 193 young women in Johannesburg through First Responder Training. This initiative highlights the importance of uplifting women through action, education, and leadership opportunities.
As MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko rightly pointed out, empowering women to lead and respond strengthens entire families and neighbourhoods. This programme is a shining example of how Women’s Month can create lasting impact building safer, stronger, and more empowered communities.
