By Puja Lamsal
For many women across the Moravian Church, the fight against gender-based violence has long been fought silently, within homes, congregations, and communities where survivors felt unseen and witnesses lacked resources to respond. Over the past two years, however, the Violence Against Women Fund (VAW) has enabled Unity Women’s Desk to equip Moravian women across Africa and the global Unity to become advocates, educators, and agents of change.
In 2024, Unity Women’s Desk utilized the VAW Fund to support REAL Anti-GBV (Gender Based Violence) initiatives, which brought together women and church leaders from South Africa for a series of workshops. Among other things, the workshops focused on recognizing the cycles and root causes of abuse, exploring faith-based responses to violence, and strengthening community advocacy. That same year, the 8th National Congress of the Moravian Women of South Africa (MWASA) convened 87 delegates representing all ten districts of the Moravian Church in South Africa under the theme, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come (Proverbs 31:25).” Throughout the congress, delegates engaged critically with pressing issues reinforcing the message that survivors of gender-based violence are not alone, after they returned home from the conference.
This spirit of solidarity expanded globally in 2025 during the 5th Unity Women’s Consultation in Tanzania, where women from 30 countries came together to share experiences, strengthen leadership skills, and confront the gap between the church’s commitment to equality and the realities many women continue to face. One of the most moving moments came when Tanzanian leader Mary Kategile, known affectionately as “Mama” to many younger women pastors and leaders, was unexpectedly surrounded in song and dance by East African delegates in recognition of her faithful leadership and resilience. The celebration stood as a vivid symbol of a growing global movement of women committed to mentoring, equipping, and uplifting one another across generations and cultures.
Yet the true impact of these initiatives extended far beyond the consultation halls. Women returned home empowered to train others, strengthen church responses to violence, and advocate for safer, more just communities. Together, these grant-funded efforts affirmed the extraordinary leadership capacity of Moravian women and demonstrated how investing in women’s voices can spark lasting transformation throughout the global church while confronting the enduring reality of gender-based violence.
MMFA extends deep gratitude to the many generous supporters whose contributions to the VAW Fund made these grants to the UWD possible. The fight against gender-based violence cannot be carried alone. By standing in solidarity with survivors and supporting this work, you are helping build a more just, compassionate, and hopeful world for generations to come.
This article was written by Puja Lamsal, MMFA’s summer intern. Puja is originally from Pokhara, Nepal, and is a student at Salem College, double majoring in Professional Writing and Political Science.
