There was a sense of excitement and expectation in the air recently in the North West Province. SMS messages were sent this way and that, and everybody was buzzing with the news that gays and lesbians finally have a place to go to in the North West Province. It has been a long time coming and now it seems that news travels fast.
OUT Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) Well-being (North West) opened its doors to the LGBT community on 1 September 2009. This branch of the well-known Pretoria-based organisation is now open in Mafikeng. It strives to serve the whole gay and lesbian population of the Province. OUT Director Dawie Nel says: “I am excited about the new office, as it repositions OUT as a national organisation, and provides much needed services”.
OUT LGBT Well-being is dedicated to building healthy empowered LGBT communities in South Africa and aims to reduce heterosexism and homophobia in society at large. By opening an office in the capital of the North West, OUT can now get directly involved with the well-being of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and
transgendered people in the Province and so expand its service.
The official opening of the new office was held on Friday 4 September and a number of people attended the presentation. Situated at 23 Rowlands Estate in Golf View, Mafikeng, the office boasts a common room that will play host to a range of activities. Most notable among these is the weekly Open Day, held every Wednesday. At these sessions there will be discussions on various topical issues that affect the gay and lesbian community. It is the perfect place to make new friends and learn new things, as well as share ideas and experiences.
Other activities on offer include a workshop on counselling skills in October and a big educational seminar that will be held during mid-November. This educational event will be held at a venue to be announced soon and there is place for more than 300 people from all over the province to attend at minimal cost. Topics that will be covered include sexual health, relationships, entrepreneurial opportunities and discussions around religion and the homosexual, to name a few. This exciting seminar is sponsored by the Multi Agency Grant Initiative and co-hosted with local organisation Gay Umbrella. The OUT North West office will also serve the function as a centralised database.
Need to find a gay/lesbian friendly doctor or other service provider? OUT North West will soon have a detailed list of such, including referral networks. In other words, if you need help, OUT North West will be able to point you to the right person or organisation that will be able to address your needs. The same is true of counselling. Anybody with a personal problem can contact OUT and they will be referred to expert counsellors who will be able to help.
Another of its services include the distribution of male and female condom packs, which in future will be available from various places in the province. This, together with expert information on sexual health, will be available free of charge. OUT North West also provides HIV testing at selected events.
The Mafikeng office will participate in various provincial and local forums to ensure that LGBT issues are taken into consideration when formulating and implementing policy.
The OUT North West office is currently staffed by one full time and one part time staff member, while several volunteers help with the various activities of the office. The office is open on weekdays from 08h30 - 16h30. Says Project Officer Mildred Maropefela : “This is a dream come true. At last we have a base from which to serve the gay and lesbian people of the North West!”
Her colleague Hendrik Baird agrees and adds: “Now we have a place of our own, a home for gay and lesbian people. Everybody is most welcome.”
So at last it seems as if the LGBT community have a home. While it is situated in Mafikeng, every effort will be made to bring the services to all the gays and lesbians of the province, no matter what race, sex or age they are. This is a giant leap forward for the LGBT community and it is hoped that the service will be used by the people for which it is intended.

*OUT LGBT Well-being (North West), 23 Rowlands Estate, Mafikeng, 2745.
Contact the Project Officers: Mildred Maropefela Cell 073-157-1791 e-mail milly.maropefela@gmail.com; Hendrik Baird Cell 083-698-7998 e-mail hennieb@ananzi.co.za.